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| Coach Janet Rayfield's Illinois soccer team opens the season Aug. 21 against Illinois State. |
Soccer Coach Janet Rayfield will be in the chat room starting at Noon CT on Thursday, Aug. 13 to answer fans' questions. Send in your questions today.
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| Moderator: Hey everyone! Coach Rayfield is here and we're ready to get started with the chat. Feel free to keep submitting questions! |
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| Bette (Saint Louis): In her prime who could score more goals in a college season you, Mia Hamm or Abby Wambach? |
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Janet Rayfield: Great first question. Since Mia broke my career record she has the upper hand for sure. And I think if she or Abby played in "my day" they would have scored and scored and scored. It is an honor though just to be in the same sentence with those two names!!!! |
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| Jerry (Tuscola): Hey Coach! I have heard you say that you'd like to get more and better chances from your forwards this year. What's changed, and who should we be excited to watch? |
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Janet Rayfield: I think the thing that may have changes the most is the maturity of the players that we have that can contribute to our attack. That and we have so many different potential weapons this season. Christina Sahly, Chichi Nweke, Jordan Hilbrands, Courtney Bell and Marissa Mykines have all improved in the last year and will be exciting to watch individually and collectivelly. Add to that goal scorer Niki Read, speedy Shayla Mutz and strong and powerful Marissa Holden and we have all sorts of attacking answers. |
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| Walter(Mt.Olive): Coach Rayfield.
Congratulations on pre-season ranking in the top 20. You and your team have earned it. What are some of your goals for this season? Best wishes in accomplishing them. |
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Janet Rayfield: Thanks Walter! We're excited to see ourselves in the Top 20 to start the season but our goal is to be there (even higher) in the end. We have the most challenging schedule we have ever faced and we are working hard to use that schedule to accompish that goal. Come and see us working toward that!!! |
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| Shannon: Since your preseason is so long this year, will you be taking any fun team-bonding trips? |
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Janet Rayfield: We are staying close to home since our travel schedule has us going to Denver, Portland, State College during the season. But we just had a GREAT team bonding video project. Be sure and check out the Illinois Soccer Facebook page for a sneak look at the TAG team video projects. They were creative, inspirational and of course somewhat humorous! |
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| Mark (Rantoul): What your experience with the national team like this summer? |
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Janet Rayfield: Mark - it's hard to say anything other than it was GREAT! What an honor and privilege to work with players at that level. I was included right away, felt like I made contributions, and was able to witness first hand Abby's 100 career goal. It was also great to work with Pia Sundhage and Hege Riise - great players, great people and great coaches. Can't wait to be invited back again!!!! |
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| John (Champaign): What did it mean to you to go back to your alma mater last year in the NCAA Tournament? And how will the experience of playing UNC help you this year? |
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Janet Rayfield: John - it was an emotional experience for me in many ways. But more importantly it was a tremendous experience for the team - they came away from that game and that experience realizing that they too were creating something special - something that they were proud to be a part of in the way I am proud to have been a part of the UNC legacy! |
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| Laura (Champaign): We've heard so much about Emily Zurrer the past few years. How do you go about replacing her this season? |
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Janet Rayfield: Well, I say this a lot but you never replace any player with another individual player because of the unique qualities that bring. It takes a combination of people to bring everything one person brought but then they also bring other things as well. We will never replace Emily - she was a unique person and player. But on the field you'll see Krystin Miller, Julie Ewing, Laura Knutson, Brittany Garrett and Danielle Kot all take on some of the responsibilities that Emily filled for us during her time as an Illini. |
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| Brian (Chicago): Hi Coach! Looks like your team has a very tough schedule this season! Any reason for making it so much more difficult than in past seasons? |
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Janet Rayfield: Hi Brian - it is a tough schedule. Sometimes I ask myself the same question :-)! But this team has aspirations to compete at the highest level. It is their desire to challenge themselves that has us putting that kind of schedule in front of them and they are excited about it! |
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| Matt (Peoria): What are some of the most important things you learned from working with the U.S. national team this summer? |
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Janet Rayfield: As I said earlier it was a tremendous expereince. But I think the thing that I took away the most was that even at that level - players and teams and programs are a "work in progress". The higher the level you reach the smaller the details are that you are sharpening to take you from where you are to where you want to be. Pia has tremendous patience as her team grows and that along with pure soccer knowledge will be something I take from that experience. |
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| Peggy (Champaign): Hi Coach- I love to take my daughters to the games, and I'm wondering who you think will be the next Ella Masar with the potential to be a National team player? Thanks and good luck this season! |
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Janet Rayfield: Peggy - that is a tough question. I think our roster is full of players who have that potential ... but potential is a dangerous word. It will probably be the person who shows the same desire, determination, work ethic, and discipline that Ella did that will reach that potential and have an opportunity to wear a National Team jersey in the future. |
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| KC Crabb (Austin, Texas): How has Marissa Holden done in camp and where do you see her playing next year? Will she see significant playing time? |
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Janet Rayfield: KC - How are things in Texas? Hot I know :-)! Marissa has certainly held her own. She has a lot to learn tactically and can make strides technically but she is using her power and strength to make an impact. She may see time off the bench up front this season. We will see what the spring brings but a change of positions could be in her future :-)! |
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| Albert (Cooperstown): What freshmen do you expect to make an impact right away? |
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Janet Rayfield: I think it is always easier to find time as a freshman as an attacking personality. With several in our freshman class I think you might see Niki Read and Shayla Mutz impacting the offensive output that we have this season! |
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| Ben (Mahomet): What do you think of the WPS? It must be nice for your athletes to have another level of soccer to strive for! |
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Janet Rayfield: I have had an absolute BLAST watching the WPS!!! It is great to have teams here in the Midwest, have players playing on two of the seven teams in the league and even more looking to play in the league in the future. It is great for our players, great for the sport, and great for the development of players who dream of Olympic and World Cup opportunities. We need everyone to support the WPS so we can continue to have those things!!! |
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| Myles (Urbana): Coach great job here at Illinois. Last year you used Emily Zurrer in your corner kick sets to generate offense. Do you feel you have enough fire power up front to keep your D-backs at home for those most of those sets? |
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Janet Rayfield: Myles -- Emily was a great threat on set pieces and we have several players this season who can take that role but like with Emily some of our best players in the air are players who play in the back (it's nice to have that quality in your defensive box too). Krystin Miller, Danielle Kot, Laura Knutson are all back players who can be dangerous in the air. |
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| Ella, Chicago Il: would you say that your alumni are one of your most loyal, enthusiastic, amazing, pretty fans?!?! ;) |
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Janet Rayfield: Well .... loyal, enthusiastic and amazing for sure!!! JK ... I can't say enough about how important the alunmae have been and continue to be. I am so excited by the number of alumnae who have contacted me already about attending games in Denver, Portland, State College, Chicago, and of course here in Champaign. Can't wait to see all of you!!! GO ILLINI!!! |
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| David (Champaign): Which Big Ten venue is the most difficult to play at and why? |
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Janet Rayfield: That is a tough question because every year seems to be a little different. I guess the best answer is that there is NO EASY place to play a Big Ten game on the road. The conference continues to get more and more competitive and every road win is a hardly contested battle. I certainly hope that ILLINOIS is the toughest Big Ten place to play!! |
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| Alaree (Atlanta): Hi Janet! What has it been like having a former player of yours coaching along side you? I might be biased but I think it would be pretty sweet!!!! |
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Janet Rayfield: By the way ... CONGRATS Mrs. Malone!!! And you are right - it is "pretty sweet"!! I think it makes a tremendous statement that someone who played here is a part of our staff. She continues to build and grow the legacy that she started. One of the things you value most in your staff is their loyalty and Leisha has loyalty to this program that comes from 4 years of sweat, hard work, and laughter. You can't find that kind of loyalty just anywhere!!@ |
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| Brian (Edwardsville): How excited are you and the players about the WPS - pro soccer - and do you think it has intensified the effort of some across the college game. |
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Janet Rayfield: Brian - as I said the WPS has been so much fun for those of us in the women's game. What it does for college soccer is give the players who do have post-collegiate aspirations something to strive for. But even those who don't, the ability to see women's soccer at that level on a regular basis is educational and inspirational! Can't wait to watch the playoffs!!! |
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| CJ (Champaign): Other than Chichi, who should we expect to score goals this season? |
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Janet Rayfield: Lots of people!!! We have so many weapons this year and I have mentioned them in previous responses but in short ... the more names on our stat sheet this year the better. Ten people with a goal each might be better for us than one person with 10 goals. |
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| Christian (Urbana): Hey Janet! You've done a great job at Illinois and I can't wait for this season! Your defenses have always been spectacular here, but my question is, what can you work on to put more goals on the board this year? |
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Janet Rayfield: We have been strong defensively and we will still use that as a foundation. But we spent a lot of time this spring on our attacking mentality and our creative freedom. We will go after chances in the box the same way we go after shutouts and that mentality should make us as determined and successful offensively as it has defensively!! Striving for shutouts and lots of goals the same priority! And enjoying them both! |
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| Moderator: Alright everyone, that's all the time we have! Thanks to everyone who submitted a question as well as everyone who followed along. Illinois soccer officially begins its season on Friday, Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. against Illinois State -- come and check it out! |
| Moderator: Be sure to continue to follow the Lunchtime Chats throughout the year here. Up next is men's gymnastics coach Justin Spring, who will chat at noon on Tuesday, Aug. 18. |
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