Robinson’s Lady Knights wrap up soccer season

By Mike Hamson
Special Correspondent Published: March 2, 2016
TBO.com
Billy Helms, the head girls’ soccer coach for Robinson High School, encourages the Lady Knights to treat their opponents with respect and refrain from gloating over a victory.

“Work hard, train hard and prepare yourself mentally for the last 10 minutes of the game because we find that’s when games are usually won or lost,” he said.

Helms took his team to the regional semi-finals for the second year in a row where they lost in a double overtime against the Largo Packers soccer team.

“Our team has been on the losing end of a lot of games and we have to remember how it felt, how other teams may have showboated,” Helms said. “We show every team, win or lose, with the respect they deserve.”

Helms, who recently wrapped up the soccer season, coached for HCU (Hillsborough County United) in North Tampa before landing the head soccer coach post at Robinson.

“Our goal for the season was to make it to the regional semi-finals and go on to the regional finals this year,” he said.

Helms, who has coached at the school for seven years, said his players motivate him to be a better coach. Being a coach at Robinson forces him to ask tough questions such as, “Can we put a team together?” “Do we have a good team philosophy?” and “Are we going to exorcise our demons of past of losing to the same teams?” he said.

He likes seeing the team unity as well as comradery between teammates.

“Regardless of what our record is, if I see progress in our team — that’s what most coaches want,” he said. “I see this in my sport and at the school. Our team has that unity.”

He said when the team lost to Merritt Island Mustangs girls soccer team, they didn’t express tears over losing 3-0, but about seeing the season come to an end.

“We have been a team, but we have always lost in real dramatic style,” he said. “You see in the players at the end of the season saying they are going to miss playing.”

He said one of the senior breakout players was MacKenzie Johnson, a goalie. She plans to attend Georgia Gwinnet College.

“I’d say she was one of the rocks of the team,” he said.

Johnson said she was happy she signed to play soccer for Gwinnet College in the fall.

“I’m so excited for this opportunity,” she said. “I’ve been dreaming of playing college soccer since I was in seventh grade, and working hard to get there.”

At the same time, Johnson said she will miss playing for Robinson.

“They’re the best team I’ve had the privilege of playing with,” Johnson said. “I’ve grown so much as a person being their captain, and the bonds I’ve made with some of the girls are irreplaceable. Once a Knight, always a Knight!”

Johnson credits coach Helms for helping the players keep a positive attitude.

“He believed in us in every situation and that meant more to me than anything else,” she said. “Also, during my junior year, he helped me see that I’m a good player and helped get my self-esteem back after the regional semi-final loss.”

She currently plays soccer for Tampa Bay United until their season ends in early May.

“After that season, I plan on doing goalie training and conditioning so I’m in the best shape possible when I arrive on campus,” she said.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Father-son duo coach local wrestling team

Former ‘Mr. Basketball’ Dupay discovers glory days later in life

Fast-pitch softball league preps girls for college