After a two-month break, the U18 and U16 Impact teams are ready to start the second half of their USSDA season. This Saturday, both teams will face the Albertson teams on their return to action.
Yoann Damet is now the U18 head coach and Nicolas Gagnon is coaching the U16. Both coaches took over at the beginning of 2016, as multiple changes were made to the Academy coaching staff.
“It’s an interesting challenge,” said U18 head coach Yoann Damet. “The goal is to bring continuity in the players’ development project while bringing my personal touch. We want to take what was positive in the first half of the season and build on it, while identifying what can be improved on and work on it more precisely.”
“Taking over the group went well,” said U16 head coach Nicolas Gagnon. “I knew most of them already since they were with me in the last two years.”
Both coaches took advantage of a few months of preparation to play some friendlies with their groups and make sure that they start the second part of the season on the right foot.
“The group lives well together,” said Damet. “The goal was to have a positive dynamic and cohesion in the group. Players showed that they could adapt to what was asked of them. What is coming out of our three preparation games is a good collective control and an interesting physical level. Players start to be on the same page in terms of game concepts and bearings.”
“We wanted them to be capable of playing full games while respecting our game principles, and that was achieved,” said Gagnon. “What’s interesting with the preparation is that, as much as we had good games, we also had useful lessons.”
Both Impact Academy teams are currently in a good position for the playoffs, both in 10th place on a total of 74 teams. At the end of the season, the top 32 teams of each age category will make the first playoff round.
“The U18 had good results in the last two seasons and it’s in everyone’s mind in the group,” said Damet. “Players are motivated and there is a will to keep going in this direction from everyone, knowing that the results are coming from the quality of play we show. We will need to play quality games and to respect our playing principles to have success again.”
“No matter if we’re in first position or somewhere else, our principles need to be dominant in every game,” added Gagnon.
Saturday, the U18 will start against Albertson at 9:45am and the U16 will follow at 12:15pm, at the Hofstra University Soccer Stadium, in Hempstead, in the state of New York.
