Indiana University Athletics
Q & A with Head Coach Amy Robertson
7/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
July 18, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -
Q & A with Head Coach Amy Robertson.
On Big Ten Conference Opponents:
There are no easy games in the conference and this year there is more parity than ever before. Every team in the conference has the potential to be in the top 10 in the nation. Last year there was a 3-way tie for first and a 3-way tie for last with one in the middle. Each of the teams that finished last are much stronger in 2005 and the teams that finished first all experienced some significant losses in starting personnel.
On Strength of Schedule this Season:
Our 2005 Schedule provides us with an opportunity to compete against teams from every region in the nation. We are playing the defending National Champion, top teams in the Northeast, California and the South. We play Pacific, Wake Forest, Northeastern, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Kent State, University of Louisville, Penn State, and Ohio University, all of whom are potential NCAA postseason tournament teams.
On the 2005 team's goals?
We have a very experienced team returning for the 2005 season, more than we have ever had in the past. Most of our seniors have been starting since they were freshman and have played an instrumental role in building this program. We also have a couple of 5th year seniors who have played major roles in team leadership and our success.
Since we would nearly have our entire team back for next fall we decided to treat the spring like a preseason to the season and work on developing our system, press and penalty corner plays. We accomplished a lot in terms of our team organization in spring practices which give us a huge advantage in our preparation for the fall. We are way ahead of where we would normally be when we come together as a team again in August. Our team goal for next year is to win the Big Ten Championship. We sat down as a team and looked at all the variables and decided that we were not only ready to pursue this goal, but we also possessed the talent and commitment level that would be necessary. If we reach this goal we would also receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, so it would kill two birds with one stone.
On why Indiana for a possible recruit?
Indiana University is one of the perfect places to go to school. Everything you could possibly want with the exception of an ocean is here at IU. You have the combination of excellent academics and big time athletics plus a really great place to live. I always think it is important to let people know that we have the best climate out of any schools in the Big Ten. The hardest part of recruiting is just getting someone to make the trip here, but I've found that once they get here they love it. I think overall the number one thing that sells the school to recruits is the incredible people that you meet. People in Bloomington and at IU are friendly, unpretentious and completely real. In our athletic department and on our team we are like a family and that is important when you are far away from your own home.
