Brielle Heitman told her Central Michigan teammate Skylar Sabbag that she heard the Syracuse coach was looking for players. Now, less than a year after the conversation, the players are joining each other on the field once again. This time at Syracuse.

The Central Michigan transfers were looking for a different system, and head coach Phil Wheddon had exactly what they were looking for.

Heitman and Scabbag bought into Wheddon’s mentality at Syracuse. The ‘keep it and play it’ style the coach advocates may not be explosive or aggressive, but it has worked for SU this season.

‘We’re a team with some talent, we try to keep the ball on the ground as much as possible,’ Wheddon said. ‘I would say that we are a pretty technical team, so possessing the ball is important because it’s a lot more fun to be possessing the ball than chasing it.’

Wheddon’s mentality enables the players to have more command on the field. The scheme also provides the players with the ability to create plays and space to move the ball.

The long ball is exciting for some, but it may only work in certain situations. Wheddon has implemented a more controlled style of play for Syracuse. The focus is on making short, crisp passes and opening up the field.

For certain players, the system plays right into their abilities. The approach may not be thrilling, but it enables the team to manage the game.

And it motivates certain players to come play for the Orange.

‘I like the possession style of play, passing the ball around, moving, and keeping it,’ Sabbag said. ‘At Syracuse I knew that with Phil, one of the big aspects of his team was to keep the ball possessed.’

Heitman and Sabbag played a very different style in their first season at Central Michigan. The Chippewas were more concerned with scoring goals quickly, rather than methodically. They looked to score goals by moving the ball as quickly up the field as possible and getting it to the forwards.

This was a contrast to what Wheddon preaches at Syracuse. Heitman and Sabbag have had to adjust their style of play upon arrival at SU. Luckily, they have both found their niche with the Orange this season.

‘When I talk to these players, one of the questions they ask is, ‘What kind of system do you play? What’s your philosophy on playing?’ And stuff like that,’ Wheddon said. ‘Their philosophy and what they’ve used really blends into ours, and that’s why they decided to come here, as opposed to some other places.’

Heitman and Sabbag saw the style of play as something that played into their strengths. The same is true for most of the players on the team.

Players view Wheddon’s style of coaching as beneficial to the team. It’s possessive rather than direct.

Wheddon would rather see the team work the ball up the field, leading to fewer turnovers and counter-attacks.

‘I love the way he coaches. I think he brings out the best style of soccer,’ senior forward Megan Bellingham said. ‘It’s been fun to watch the program develop under how our style of play has changed.’

In his third season with the Orange, Wheddon has implemented his approach, and players have followed suit.

Heitman and Sabbag knew that the style of play here at Syracuse was going to be vastly different from how they played at Central Michigan, and both have fit the mold of Wheddon’s style.

‘It’s just a case of fitting into the philosophy,’ Wheddon said. ‘As with transfer students, they’re usually unhappy with a place because they are not getting playing time or the style of play is not conducive to what they prefer. Now, obviously, here we play more possession, and Skylar and Brielle have fit in very nicely.’

adtredin@syr.edu

Published on September 15, 2010 at 12:00 pm