Attleboro seniors discuss interesting four years

The 2011-12 basketball season has come to a close for the Attleboro High Lady Bombardiers and with it the four-year varsity careers of senior captains Emily Mayer and Savannah Boyle. The pair walked straight into the varsity squad as freshman on a team that went on to win the Old Colony League title despite only totaling eight regular season wins and even won a playoff game before nearly pulling off a remarkable upset at the #1-seed, Bridegwater-Raynham.

It must have seemed as though the program was about to take off, but instead, a tumultuous four years later, the girls would struggle to win as many games in the rest of their careers as they did in their first season alone. Following their last home game as Attleboro High basketball players, Emily and Savannah graciously answered questions about their four years at Attleboro High, the coaching changes, and their memories from four years as Lady Bombardiers:

How difficult was it as a freshman to walk right on to the varsity team?

S.B.- It was scary at first, but the girls were so easy to get along with, and the team really welcomed me in. The only thing that was difficult was getting used to the fast pace.

E.M.- My goal had always been to make varsity as a freshman, and I became especially motivated during the summer before 8^th grade, when Savannah and I were asked to play in a few varsity summer league games. We played pretty good, and at that point, I think we realized that making the team after another year of middle school could be a reality. Going into tryouts, I was definitely nervous, but felt confident that I could hang with the older girls.

What has been the biggest improvement in your game in your four years?

S.B. - My leadership and outside shooting.

E.M. - Season after season, I’ve focused on making quicker decisions: shooting, passing, and moving at a faster pace. While I am by no means the fastest one on the court, I think my decision-making is one of my greatest assets, and I feel confident knowing and anticipating what move I intend to make with the ball.

Your first season was probably the deepest team in recent years and even won a road playoff game at Franklin; did you feel like you would make the playoffs and be successful every year?

S.B. - That was quite a special team. Of course I hoped for the same success each year, but we lost a lot of talent.

E.M. - It felt great to be on a successful team as a freshman, and of course I hoped that the tradition of winning would continue throughout my high school career.  However, knowing that the entire team was graduating except for Savannah and me gave us the realistic view that the remaining seasons would definitely become a lot tougher and more challenging…

Since that crop of seniors left the team has struggled, what do you think has been the reason for that?

E.M. - The leadership and experience of those eight seniors were invaluable to our team during my freshman year. They had been playing together since middle school, and each player brought a different strength to the team, whether it was Jenna’s unbelievable quickness or Allie’s height. When they left, there was definitely a lack of experience, and it took time for most of the girls to become accustomed to playing at the varsity level.

What are your thoughts about playing under Coach Riley?

E.M. - I had a great experience playing for Coach Riley for three years. I think he was a dedicated coach, putting all of his time and effort into our program. Each year, he wanted and coached to win, and as a result he would play the girls who were going to be most effective at working towards that goal. I respected his patience with having such an inexperienced team, and I appreciated his commitment as he tried to get the best basketball out of each player.

S.B. - I respect Coach Riley and appreciate everything he has done for me. He always pushed me to strive for the best, and helped me to improve my game.

Were you excited when you heard that Missy Traversi would be taking over the program?

S.B. - Honestly I was nervous at first, but from the minute she introduced herself I could tell she had a serious love for the game and wouldn’t quit until she taught us everything she could, and made us the best we could be.

E.M. - I had heard and known of Coach growing up; playing against her AAU teams and listening to her speak when I was in middle school. I was confident that she would bring an abundance of positive change to our program, and looked forward to working with and learning from her in the upcoming season.

Was it difficult going into your senior year knowing that such a drastic change was being made to the program?

E.M. - At first, I was definitely unsure of what my senior season would be like.  It was more the fear of the unknown, and honestly I’m not one for change, but after a few practices I knew everything was going to work out for the best and I became pretty excited to have a new atmosphere around our team.

S.B. - I tend to let things (roll) off my back. My focus was on my game, and what I could do to improve. I just wanted to play the best for my team because that’s all I could control.

What has been the biggest difference between this season under Coach Traversi and the years under Coach Riley?

S.B. - Coach Traversi is more of a strengthening and conditioning coach, but other than that they both love coaching the game of basketball, and would do anything to make us a better player.

Is there a benefit to having a female coach and does it impact on how you relate to them as a coach?

S.B. - Yes, because it’s great to have a female role model to look up to. Also they can understand us more as female athletes.

E.M. - I think that female coaches tend to pay closer attention to team bonds and issues, and work to make sure the girls are positively communicating and interacting. Being able to admire a female role model is also beneficial, as we try to grow into leaders and influential women ourselves.

What were your thoughts when you heard that Bri Hochwarter had been injured during the summer? Do you think that this season would've been a little different if you had Bri on the court?

S.B. - Bri’s a nice girl, good player and a great teammate. You feel for the girl having to miss a whole season. Not once did she let her injury bring her down, instead she worked hard to get better and has always been there to support the team. We could have used her shooting, especially in those close games. Also if we had her I think it would have relieved pressure off our point guards.

E.M. - It was a huge shock finding out that Bri was injured during one of our summer league games. It’s terrible when anyone gets hurt, and of course I felt awful that one of my teammates was going through such a painful experience. Bri was a huge contributor to our team’s offense and scoring column, so we definitely lost a key shooter. As a result, the team had to find other ways to score, and I think a variety of players were able to step up during the season.

When you began you walked onto a team that had a lot of seniors, what have you learned in your four years to be the leaders and captains this season?

E.M. - Our freshman year, the seniors were like big sisters to Savannah and I. They watched out for us, both on and off the court, and were excellent role models. Going into my senior year, I knew I wanted to emulate how those eight seniors behaved and acted.  With a young team, I’ve recognized that support and encouragement are of the utmost importance.  I’ve worked to lead by example, and hope that my hard work has inspired my teammates to give their all each and every game.

S.B. - I learned to lead by example, always work hard and to never take any play off. Also that the little extra hustle plays make a big difference.

Where do you see the program heading in the future, is it on the right track?

S.B. - If they can get the youth interested in basketball earlier, there is no doubt in my mind that the program will get better.

E.M. - I think that as the years go on, new groups of talent will move up to the high school, and hopefully propel our team to success.  I have a little sister in 6^th grade, and I’m looking forward to watching her play at the high school in just a few years.

What are your favorite memories from playing at Attleboro?

S.B. - I have so many memories, but my favorite were becoming League Champions my freshman year. Also I won’t forget tying the second best single game performance for AHS with 31 points.

E.M. - Looking back, I know I’ll remember the little things from the past four years: lining up for the national anthem, huddling at center court my freshman year, Coach Riley’s blue bag of candy, hanging my poster on the gym wall, running down the court for warm-ups, the anticipation of hearing my name called in the starting line-up, and even Sunday morning practices. Every year, the team changes and people come and go, but through all of that I’ve always had Savannah, and we experienced the ups and downs of this program together. It’s an unbelievable coincidence that our last game this Wednesday will be played at Durfee High School, which is actually where our high school careers began four years ago.  I’m sure it’ll be a “full-circle” moment that I won’t forget.

Geoff Cameron talks about MLS Cup Finals

Very rarely does someone from Attleboro get the opportunity to play for a major professional championship but this Sunday night at 9 PM, former Attleboro High player Geoff Cameron and the Houston Dynamo will try to take home the MLS Cup from David Beckham and the LA Galaxy. As if that isn’t a difficult enough task the Galaxy has the benefit of playing at home in the Home Depot Center, where they lost only one game in 2011. The Dynamo will also be without the man that sparked their offense all season, MVP candidate and MLS Best XI Brad Davis, who won’t be able to play due to an injury picked up in the semi-final win over Kansas City.

It seems like there’s a lot stacked against Houston in the finals, but if you speak to Cameron about the challenge don’t expect anything but confidence, “People said that we couldn’t win without him [Davis], that we weren’t a complete team, but I think everyone stepped their game up when he went down against Kansas City. It was 0-0 when he went off and Adam (Moffat) took the set pieces and we scored on a set piece and then we scored a run of play goal. Obviously he’s a big part of our team, but at the same time we’ve got a lot of players that can step up and play the role and that’s what we can do.”

Heading into the playoffs there wasn’t a lot of chatter about the Dynamo despite the club’s history of MLS Cup titles and they continue to fly under the radar even into the title game. Of course lining up against internationals with the notoriety of Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, and David Beckham makes it difficult to get much press but Cameron believes this could work to the Dynamo’s advantage, “they’re supposed to win so for us, we have nothing to lose. Let’s just go out there, have fun, kick butt, and leave it all on the field.”

Cameron is an Attleboro native who learned the game playing on local fields and playing pickup games at the Armory on Park St. His talent got him onto the varsity practice field while he was still in middle school, eventually leading to two years with the Bombardiers and off-seasons playing with the club team Bayside United. His skills advanced quickly and he chose to play two years at Providence Country Day before turning in an all-A10 performance while at URI. But for Cameron no matter where his career leads him it’s imperative to remember his roots and the man that kick started his love for the game, Attleboro High coach Peter Pereira.

“I’ve been very, very close to him for a long time, most of my life. He still gets up in the morning and opens up the armory and gives a place, an opportunity, for the kids to play pick-up soccer. For me there’s nothing better to see than that. He has the heart and the love of the game and he just spreads it out to give people an opportunity to play. That’s a fantastic thing that he does personally and he’s been a close friend of the family for a real long time and I can’t thank him enough for the support that he’s given me and the things that he did for me. There’s nothing better that I can do in return than to come back and help him out, showing up, and hanging out with the kids. Any way I can be a role model and any advice I can give the kids is the best thing for me.”

One of the players that has benefited from the advice that Cameron gives out on his frequent visits to Bombardier practices is junior midfielder Dominik Machado, currently part of the New England Revolution developmental squad. Machado is taking advantage of an academy system that Cameron didn’t have and the current MLS all-star makes sure to keep the potential MLS player grounded, “I told him 100 percent always remember where you came from because if you ever forget that then you’ll end up becoming nothing. I just said stay focused, stay humble, and stay hungry. If you’re hungry then you’ll accomplish a lot of things. 

Discipline, dedication, and desire, if you have those then you can accomplish anything you want in life.”

If Geoff Cameron ever forgets that mantra he need only look at the tattoo on his arm as a reminder. That discipline and desire became critical to his career when he suffered a PCL tear and missed nearly four months of the 2010 season. After a rehab stint that was nearly half as long as expected he finished the 2010 season strong. At the beginning of 2011, Dynamo Coach Dominic Kinnear moved Cameron into the midfield but two months ago decided the defense needing shoring up and since the move back to his natural position at central defender the Dynamo have caught fire. Houston will enter the MLS Cup with a 263-minute shutout streak.

Cameron’s move back to central defense for his club team has coincided with a change in management at the national team level and the calls for him to represent the US as it heads into World Cup qualifying next summer have increased considerably. This isn’t something that has gone unnoticed by the player himself, “I hear that all the time, even guys on our team who play for their national teams say ‘why don’t you play for yours’ and I simply say I don’t know man. I’m just going to wait for my opportunity and obviously my ultimate goal is to make it into the World Cup in Brazil.”

One of the best routes into the national team set-up, whether Bob Bradley or Jürgen Klinsmann is the coach, is to play regularly for a team in Europe. Prior to the injury last season there were rumors of potential European suitors and now that he is back playing at a high level those rumors should increase when the European transfer window opens again in January. While Cameron’s focus is intently on his team and this Sunday’s final there is always the individual goal to play on the biggest stage.

“In talking with my agent there are some teams interested over in Europe but like my agent said, he wants me to stay focused on the season and win a championship. Obviously one of my goals in life is to play in Europe. I had the opportunity to play for Nottingham Forest in the Championship [the 2^nd tier of British soccer] for a bit last off-season after my injury, to stay sharp, and I thought it helped me out this season playing center-mid and center back. Going into pre-season I felt really good so the experience over there was amazing and I’d 100 percent love to play over there, so that’s one of my goals but at the same time I have a guaranteed contract for next year and we’ll see after that.”

For now Geoff Cameron will put aside concerns about the national team and the call of Europe to focus on the opportunity to win the MLS Cup. All that stands in the way is the league’s best team, on their home field, with three international stars, but the Dynamo defender isn’t in awe. He’s ready to work, “Make sure whenever Beckham has the ball just pressure, pressure, and make him uncomfortable. Don’t give him time to look up and just hit a ball to a free spot because he can put a ball on a dime. The same thing with Landon and Keane, you got to be wary of those guys because they’re clever. They have experience, so you just can’t give them time on the ball and you have to make them uncomfortable. That’s one thing we do, we’re committed, we don’t stop, and we’ll keep running.”

The MLS Cup will air on ESPN Sunday night at 9 PM from the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA.