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Dominating defender
By KEITH NIEBUHR
Bye-bye offense. Hello defense. The switch was seen as a temporary fix for a leaky defense, but it turned into something much more. Coates, now a senior, still plays sweeper and is considered by some to be the area's top defender. She has twice earned honorable mention all-area praise and was a Times first-team All-Citrus/Hernando selection last season. "I think she's one of the top defenders around because of her athletic ability," Hurricanes coach Brady Bogart said. "To be a good defender, you need speed and she's got that. She's also got a knack for knowing when to go to an opponent and when not to." When Coates was moved to sweeper, she welcomed the change, even though she had scored 13 goals. During summer league seasons, she had been a defender and always felt comfortable disrupting opposing offenses. "It didn't bother me at all," Coates said. "You don't get credit for the good games you have because you're not scoring, but you win championships on defense. "I had played (sweeper) a lot in the summer, so it wasn't the first time. I always liked playing defense, so I was used to it. Actually, when I was up front and scoring goals, it felt kind of weird." At sweeper, Coates is responsible for the middle of the field. Flanked by fullbacks Whitney Gelin and Amanda Johnson, Coates is the key figure for the county's top defense. When an opponent comes her way with the ball, Coates' job is to make sure that player doesn't score or make a pass that leads to a goal. "You have to make good guesses," Coates said. "You have to foresee what's going to happen. You have to know the next move before they do." The 5-foot-8 Coates' greatest asset is her speed. "She runs like a deer," Bogart said. Coates, who also plays golf and runs track (300-meter hurdles and 4x400 relay), prides herself on being tough. "You can't be pushed around back there," she said. "A lot of people back down. You can't be afraid to go for and take what you want." Coates has twice been named as Citrus' defensive most valuable player. With her help, the 'Canes have a 10-1 record. Last season, they went 21-2-3. The year before, they were 21-1-2. "She's been back there to help us out in key games," Bogart said. "I think she enjoys that position. She's very with it, very assertive." People have taken notice. After a 6-2 win earlier this season against state-power Gainesville Eastside, Rams coach Matt Walker praised Coates' play when speaking with Bogart. And colleges such as Flagler, Palm Beach Atlantic and Webber have shown interest. The move to defense, it seems, was beneficial to all. "You're not going to notice Danialle by statistics," Bogart said. "You have to watch a game and notice how she runs around the field.
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