When Amare Stoudemire made his long-awaited return from injury in the Phoenix Suns’ season-opener against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 30, he was a great player returning to a team as good or better in his absence last season. The Suns squandered a 15-point first-quarter lead in that game and have lost three of their first four games.
Amanda Poach made a similar return to the Santa Clara women’s soccer team this fall, according to Broncos coach Jerry Smith. He likes the analogy not only because Suns guard Steve Nash played his college ball at Santa Clara.
“I know [Stoudemire’s] great and the Suns are great, but it still takes a little time to work everything out,” said Smith. “Now we’re finally at a point where Jordan [Angeli] is in her rhythm, Amanda is in her rhythm and they are super impactful players for our team.”
After spending most of the year with the U.S. national under-20 team and arriving four games into the Broncos’ season, it took a while for Poach, a Bowie native, and Angeli, to readjust to college soccer. But both have found their way, and helped Santa Clara (15-4-1) earn its ninth West Coast Conference title and one of four top seeds in the NCAA Tournament beginning this weekend.
The Broncos are seeking a 12th straight trip to the NCAA quarterfinals. Yet Poach’s return was a letdown after playing for the U.S. and being named to the all-tournament team at the world championships in Russia.
“When I first came back, I wasn’t really having fun at all,” said Poach, who was with the national team almost every other week from January through August. “I wasn’t focused, not in the right mind-set, still — not depressed, but I compared everything which I shouldn’t have, and things were different here.”
“The hard thing coming back from the national team program is, ‘Well, I have to be special.’ By trying to be special you’re actually a worse player,” said Smith, who gave her time off before truly reintegrating her with the team.
Poach responded with two goals and three assists, and this week was named to the All-WCC first team.
“As a sophomore to be on the all-conference team is awesome,” said Smith. “To be a sophomore on the all-conference team back from what she’s come back from is a testament to her ability to grind through it and eventually and get back to the awesome player that she is.”
