When Phil Wheddon scheduled Syracuse to open the season in Florida, the head coach was already thinking about conference play and the challenges that come with it. The steaming temperatures would provide an extra obstacle for his team to play through.

‘When we’re faced with some different adversity when we play some of these Big East teams, it could be scorching hot,’ Wheddon said. ‘You could be playing on turf, you could be playing in some very adverse conditions. If we can do that in Florida, we can do that anywhere.’

SU did perform in the adverse conditions in Fort Myers, Fla., splitting its two games at the Embassy Suites Kick Off Classic. Wheddon was impressed the Orange was able to bounce back and beat Florida Gulf Coast in the afternoon heat Sunday after dropping its first game to Robert Morris on Friday.

The Orange was well prepared for the conditions following a spring and summer focused on getting in shape. Wheddon stressed the importance of coming into the season in game shape to the players before they went away for the summer. The head coach said the Orange took his advice to heart and came in ready for that early-season challenge in Florida.

SU sophomore goalkeeper Brittany Anghel knows Wheddon could have picked several tournaments to start off the 2011 season rather than having the team travel down to Florida, but she also understands the reasoning behind it.

‘I feel like Phil could’ve picked a more climate-friendly place like Connecticut or something where it wasn’t so hot,’ Anghel said. ‘But I think he did it intentionally to put us in those adverse conditions.’

Although playing in 90-degree heat wasn’t fun, the Orange knows it will only benefit from it in the long run.

For Wheddon, in his fourth year as head coach, playing in rugged conditions is a trend he expects his team to go through all season. And the Florida tournament should help SU overcome additional roadblocks.

‘If we can play in that heat, we can play in the cold, we can play when it’s raining, thunder and lightning — well, maybe not thunder and lightning,’ Anghel said.

Even though SU started off the season playing in its most strenuous conditions, Wheddon didn’t have to run them any harder than the past few falls. Most came into preseason already training in top shape.

Wheddon said his players came in fit this year, as many followed an offseason exercise packet devised by the strength and conditioning coaches. He made it clear in the spring that the preseason is needed to gel as a unit rather than to get into shape.

And Wheddon has noticed a difference in the team at this point compared to previous seasons.

‘In past years, that’s been a bit of a struggle,’ Wheddon said. ‘This year everybody came in super fit.’

With that plan followed by almost everyone, Wheddon had the flexibility to concentrate on plenty of on-the-ball drills and game situations.

Brittany Kinmond, a sophomore forward who has scored SU’s lone goal this season, said that spring practices before the summer really set the tone for what was expected come preseason. All the intense training that Wheddon put them through in the spring served as a wake-up call.

‘Our spring was a lot harder,’ Kinmond said. ‘So I think we all knew exactly where we needed to be fitness-wise coming in.’

With that fitness, Wheddon knows his team can play against anything thrown its way. The plan all along was to force this team into adverse conditions so nothing shocks them by the time Big East opponents are up.

And with SU set to take on four teams ranked in the Top 25 this season, that ability to adapt developed in the spring and in Florida will serve the team well in a competitive Big East conference.

‘I think that helps for sure. I wouldn’t say we have a upperhand. I think everyone of these Big East teams is a very, very good team. It’s one of the best conferences in the country,’ Wheddon said. ‘I wouldn’t say we have an upper hand, but we’ll be better prepared.’

dgproppe@syr.edu

Published on August 30, 2011 at 12:00 pm