Winding Down the Summer

Reflecting back on our season so far, I'd have to give it a lukewarm rating. I think the biggest drawback has been the limited opportunity to play real strong competition, and to play them at a higher level. Last year, we started out season in California in March, playing some real strong players including last year's AVP rookie of the year who was on TV last weekend in the finals of the Chicago event. That helped to set the pace. This year, both Loric and I were bogged with work and other commitments, so we got off to a slow start and didn't really see strong teams come in until near the end of May at the Sandia tourney. We weren't as prepared as we would have liked to have been for that event, and had a somewhat disappointing finish. Then travel schedules and a poor showing in Denver led us to a good finish in Vail, though we couldn't finish the job after a long run through the loser's bracket, while still not playing our best ball, in my opinion. Since then, I got to play a quali in NJ and we got to train in Hermosa beach which was great, but returned to a disappointing turnout in Taos without any out of state teams, though there were certainly good players at the event. A few weeks off and here we are. In CA it felt like things were coming together, but that was a while ago now. Hopefully we can get some practice time in and play well the next two NM tourneys to have a good showing at the Motherlode tourney in Aspen. There will be a real good showing there, with many strong teams registered from around the country. Time to focus in and work hard so we can put together a respectable run and nail an exclamation point into our outdoor season for 2007!