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The Next Step Forward With a bright young coach and a new attitude, the Women's Soccer program holds high hopes for this season and beyond By Chris Edmonds '04 Coach's Game Plan C asey Brown got off to an early start as the new head coach of the Women's Soccer team — first by the calendar and later by the clock. Hired in December 2015, Brown "hit the ground running" on Jan. 4, some seven and a half months before her team opens its season. The head start has given her time to adjust, and to get her players to adjust their morning routines — dawn workouts have become the new normal for these Crusaders. "We had two early practices in my first three years," said Claire Malone, a senior captain. "The first day with Coach Brown, she tells us practice and conditioning will be at 6:00 or 7:00 in the morning." That's part of a broader effort to instill a new culture within the program, one built on pride and intensity. And, though it re- mains early days, the effects are becoming apparent. "The level has gone up every day," said Brown. "From the weight room to indoor workouts, to out on the field, the level is at game speed, and it's extremely detail- oriented." Fall 2016 • Crusader Nation 3