Buckeyes Remain Focused During Weather Delays
9/4/2019 11:00:49 AM | General
RELATED INFO: Follow the Buckeyes on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram | 2019 Roster | 2019 Schedule
COLUMBUS, Ohio – On the second day of the 2019 Wolstein Classic Sunday (Sept. 1), both games of the day were delayed by threatening weather in the Columbus area. The opener between CSUN and Dayton kicked off at noon but did not finish until about 3:45 p.m. (CSUN won 3-1). Ohio State and UIC, originally scheduled to kick at 3 p.m., ultimately began at about 4:17 p.m.
2019 WOLSTEIN CLASSIC RECAPS: vs. CSUN, vs. UIC
The Buckeyes and Flames reached the 53rd minute when inclement weather returned, forcing a delay of more than 90 minutes. The game resumed at about 7:15 p.m. The Buckeyes scored in the 57th minute and toughed out a 1-0 victory. The game ended at 8:07 p.m.
The team ate its pregame meal at 11:30 a.m. Sunday. After more than eight hours and miles of running, the day finally ended just before another storm arrived.
Ohio State players and coaches recalled past experiences with weather delays and provided insight on how time off the field is utilized.
The following players were asked a series of questions about how they and their teammates spend the time during weather delays.
Matteo Bennati (No. 16), junior forward from Genova, Italy
CC Uche (No. 3), senior defender from Lawrenceville, Georgia
Jack Holland (No. 19), senior midfielder from Dublin, Ohio
How do you pass the time as a team during weather delays?
“It depends on how long the delay is supposed to last. We usually hang and listen to music.” – Bennati
“In the locker room you just try and stay focused with your team. Talk each other up, try and solve problems that you saw on the field prior to the rain delay. We really try to communicate a lot to each other on what we see and how we can help each other out on the field against the team that we are playing.
“We also talk about tendencies that we see the other team likes to do and try to figure out how we can shut them down. For the most part we keep emphasizing to the team how important it is not to come out flat and that in moments like these, where adversity hits, are the most important in terms of figuring out what guys are actually made of.” – Uche
“During a delay I usually will listen to music or play soccer tennis with the boys.” – Holland
Weather delays can take a toll on both players and coaches. Watch Coach Brian Maisonneuve describe how he handled delays as a player and now as a coach. pic.twitter.com/pwPAZG2BGM
— OhioStateMensSoccer (@OhioStateMSOC) September 4, 2019
How do you personally use the time during weather delays?
“I try to stay warm, stretching and moving” – Bennati
“Personally during rain delays depending on how long it is I usually try to get a quick snack in and also hydrate as much as possible. I also like to have our athletic trainer help me out with stretching then after keep my legs up so they feel somewhat fresher than they did before the rain delay. It’s hard to get your body going after it’s forced to just stop abruptly because of rain delays so I try to get my body going again.” – Uche
What is the longest delay you’ve personally experienced during your soccer career?
“It was against UIC this weekend. In Italy we don’t have these kind of storms. I have never seen any soccer game delayed for lighting.” – Bennati
“Honestly probably this past weekend against UIC. I think it might’ve been an hour and half or two hours. It felt like forever. Rain delays are not fun at all because all you want to do is to play.” – Uche
“I have been in a delay for three hours once. That was the worst one, the game ended up being canceled.” – Holland
How does a delay affect your play, if at all?
“It does affect the game because it kills the game. Once you get back on the field it’s a completely new game and it’s all about who wants it more at that point.” – Bennati
“It affects everyone differently but I don’t think it really affects me that much. In fact after the rain delay I felt a little fresher going back out to play. Not saying I enjoy them but I think after experiencing rain delays so many times in your career you kind of get used to it and know what to expect.” – Uche
“It throws you off mentally a bit. You go from being focused and fired up for the game to being chill and out of it a bit. It is hard to ramp your energy back up when you go back out.” – Holland
How does a delay affect you physically?
“I personally don’t like to stop and play again, but as I said, I try to stay warm in order to be better off when I get back on the field.” – Bennati
“Physically it’s definitely weird having to stop so abruptly after getting your body warmed up and ready to go. In the locker room during rain delays you’re foam rolling, stretching, hydrating, you are basically doing anything you can to get your body back right to go again. At some point it starts to become mental and you rely on maturity. How bad are you willing to fight through adversity to get to your end goal, which is winning the game. You start preparing yourself mentally to get after it again.” – Uche
“You for sure start to feel the soreness creeping in.” – Holland
What are the positives of a delay for the team and you personally, what are the negatives?
“The positives are you get to spend time with your teammates, thinking and talking about the game. A negative is that your conditioning is affected and you may not have the same intensity you had before the delay.” – Bennati
“Some positives are being able to discuss a team’s tendencies on the field. Before a game you usually have a scout and a feeling of how the other team is going to come out and play but being able to experience it first hand on the field gives you more of an understanding of the team. Having the opportunity to discuss it in the locker room during rain delays with your teammates and figure out solutions to shut them down sure helps.” – Uche
“Positively, you get to reflect and game plan what you will do differently when you go back out. Negatively, I feel really sore and sometimes find it hard to match the energy again from what it was before the delay.” – Holland
Do you have any funny or interesting things you or a team you played on have done during a delay?
“We did hang out with UIC players in the tunnel during last weekend’s delay. It’s cool to see how the guys who love soccer can relate in a delicate moment like that, despite being opponents.” – Bennati
“We just try to keep the energy high with loud music to get us hyped.” – Uche
“Sunday, we were playing hangman on the whiteboard, it was really funny because we were so bored we had to get creative.” – Holland
