By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Year One for Taylor Beck couldn’t have gone much better.
Carthage went 14-7, which was not only a school-record, but also matched the win total from the previous three seasons combined. In fact, it was the Lady Tigers first season over .500 since 2013.
“I knew they could be good; I knew they would make history- I think they believed it, but were skeptical,” said Beck. “Now that they have had a taste of a winning season overall- I’ve already seen a huge change just watching during open fields. Now it’s not me telling them they are good enough and they can go far, it’s the returners. This year we have a lot more people who are willing to speak up and be leaders. That’s what we lacked last year. Their confidence has grown from last year and I’m extremely excited to see how much they grow this upcoming season.”
And now, with a pair of All-COC picks back, Beck is eager to take what she learned and her first season and help the program take the next step forward.
“Year One was definitely a learning curve for me,” said Beck. “Coming right out of college as a college athlete I had high expectations for the girls I was going to be coaching. I think the biggest thing I’ve learned as a coach is to keep the girls accountable for the goals they want to achieve. As a player, I needed and wanted to achieve the goals I set forth for my team and myself and I brought that culture with me to Carthage.
“Also, motivation is key. I try my hardest to intrinsically motivate my athletes because they are much more willing to give me everything they can if they want to do the workout or want to better themselves.”
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Now Beck’s players are familiar with her system and expectations, making 2020 a highly anticipated season, led by Hallie Patrick, Jazuri Lopez, Carla Marquez, Jenari Lopez.
Patrick and Lopez were all-conference selections as juniors.
“Hallie is a very hard worker and extremely coachable,” said Beck. “She will also take charge on the field and do anything I ask of her. She is willing to come out of her comfort zone to better her team. She is a team player and her work ethic are highly impressive. The girls look up to her and how she handles herself on and off the field. Jenari is definitely a huge asset to our team and is able to take charge on the backline and be their voice. She knows exactly what I expect from my backline and she can communicate that on the field.
“These girls will give 100% at all times they are on the field. Jazuri is a great leader and will be a goal scorer for us this year, as she was last year. Carla has great speed and is not afraid to shoot at any time.”
Beck is also excited about the development of junior Kaitlin Reyes and freshman Daniela Marquez.
“Kaitlin has worked extremely hard this summer and has improved her skills tremendously,” said Beck. I’m excited to see how much she betters our team.
“Daniela will be a key newcomer this year. She has a strong shot and can place the ball from anywhere on the field. As a freshman, she will definitely be able to see varsity time. Daniela is a very smart player on the field and reads the game very well.”
Beck believes the preseason and offseason were both smoother as she continues to get acclimated to her life as a coach and her players adjust to her expectations.
The program will look to not only build on last season’s offense, the most explosive in program-history with nearly three goals per game, but Carthage will now try to challenge perennial powers like Ozark and Nixa for conference and district championships.
It’s not a process that will be completed over night, but something Beck and the Lady Tigers are pushing for.
“In order to be successful, we need to continue with what we had last year,” said Beck. “They cannot lay down at any time this preseason and into the regular season- they know that. They will also need to work as a team rather than trying to get the ball to one person that they trust and expecting her to do the work. Early in the season last year, we were in a bad habit of finding the trusted player and watching her do the work. They understood as the season went on, that wasn’t going to work. I’m excited to fine tune the little things this year now that they know my expectations and watch as they put the game together.
“Honestly, I think everything we did last year needs to be carried to this year. The team chemistry this team has is wonderful. Little to no drama and they have each other’s back- I think that is extremely important to a successful team. The culture has changed from what it was a couple years ago- they have the community on their back, they have the talent, they have the willpower to continue making history for their program and I’m blessed to be able to be a part of it.”
Carthage will open the 2020 season at home on March 26 against Monett.
