Colleges

Soccer coach prods star into going on the attack

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published November 24, 2005

TALLAHASSEE - Junior India Trotter had spent much of her soccer career at Florida State thinking defense and ball control first. What about using her quickness and skill to beat defenders and fire shots at the goal?

Well, not so much.

Well, not so this year.

Coach Mark Krikorian, hired in January and faced with a daunting task of rebuilding an offense stripped by graduation and transfers of its proven scorers, asked Trotter to take a more aggressive role. Shoot, he demanded it.

"She's as athletic as any player I've ever coached. That includes all the kids in the WUSA and anywhere," he said. "She's just a special talent."

Trotter has shown that. Playing both as an attacking midfielder and a forward, she has scored 12 goals, second on the team, and has nine assists, tied for first, helping the Seminoles advance to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. FSU (20-3-0) plays perennial power North Carolina (23-1-0) on Friday in Chapel Hill with a trip to the national semifinals at stake.

"Growing up, I've always played up top and attacking," said Fort Lauderdale's Trotter, 20, who came into this season with career totals of three goals and six assists. "It was definitely a transition, but I have experienced being up top before to know what that role asks for."

That role means being a bit more selfish with the ball.

She has taken 54 shots this season; she had 69 total as a freshman and sophomore.

"Every game, you progressively get more confident and more comfortable with that mind-set," she said.

Moments into the second half of a scoreless game against California in the round of 16 Sunday, Trotter found herself on the receiving end of a pass from sophomore star Sel Kuralay just inside the box. Last year, she might have hesitated and looked to pass.

Not so this year.

She immediately ripped one toward the left corner for a 1-0 lead. FSU went on to a 2-1 win.

"It's been an interesting process of trying to reshape her view of herself," Krikorian said. "Now, she's willing to take half chances, she'll take balls out of the air and strike them at the goal where in the past it would have to be the perfect shot for her to take. The goal she scored (Sunday) was class." "India's always been a stud, but now, Mark's put a lot of responsibility on her rather than letting her be okay with being a good player out there," junior defender Kelly Rowland said. "Now she's expected to do so much for us and moving up top, she's just so hard to defend. I'm lucky I don't have to play against her."

OXFORD BLUES? Track and field coach Bob Braman couldn't be more thrilled that his star shot putter and discus thrower, Tampa native Garrett Johnson, has received a Rhodes scholarship. But in a perfect world, Johnson would still be here in 2006-07 for his redshirt senior year and not in Oxford, England.

"We better hurry up and get a (national) title because with him and (sprinter) Walter ( Dix) disappearing for entirely different reasons," Braman said, referring to Dix probably turning pro by the summer, "I don't want to say we'd be rebuilding, but we'd be losing monster points."

But don't think a little thing like a two-year stay a continent away as he seeks a master's degree in Development Studies will keep Johnson, 21, an All-American, away from the track.

He said he will be communicating via e-mail with his FSU coaches, especially Harlis Meaders, about workouts. Johnson plans to increase his strength, then compete on the European circuit as a way to prepare for the Olympic Trials in 2008. He also plans to take advantage of another Oxford offering.

"They have the oldest track and field club in the world, (established in) 1850," he said, "so I plan to go and contribute to that tradition."

DID YOU KNOW? Junior forward Al Thornton has begun the basketball season with consecutive double doubles (12 points, 10 rebounds against Jacksonville and 31 and 10 against Alcorn State). The last Seminole to see double double in three straight was Doug Edwards during the 1992-93 season.

Brian Landman covers Florida State athletics. Reach him at 813 226-3347 or by e-mail at landman@sptimes.com

[Last modified November 24, 2005, 00:18:19]