The Sirens Defense by Julie Wicher, Sirens Half Back Perspectives Editorial Volume 1, Issue 4 September 17, 2002 I will be the first person to admit that our defense is scary. I firmly believe that there is not another team in the league that will hit me as hard or play me as tough as our own defensive players. There is no doubt in my mind that if I asked other offensive players on the team, they would back me up 100% on this statement. The day after our game last weekend, I woke up with a few dime-size bruises and a couple scrapes. After practice on Tuesday I was tired, sore and had palm-sized bruises on both biceps. The defensive players work extremely hard. I watch them in practice run their drills and am amazed at the effort and hard work they put into every play. While the offense is grouped together in discussion the defense is running sprints. While the offense is walking through a play on one side of the field, the defense is running on the other. Don't get me wrong, the offense does their fair share of running as well, I am simply giving much-deserved credit to those that make me strive to work harder. Being on the offensive side of the ball, I really have no idea what the defense has in mind for any particular play. I hear them yelling out formations and see them changing positions. It's always nerve-wracking to realize when you're standing there waiting for the ball to be hiked that there is a defender in the exact spot that you're supposed to go. Towards the end of every practice we have a team scrimmage. Like a pendulum, momentum swings back and forth between offense and defense. One play will have the offense making perfect blocks and breaking a run wide open. The next play the defense busts through and gives the ball-handler no chance of gaining a yard. Contrary to a game however, is the fact that after every play defense and offense are patting each other on the back or helping one another off the ground; that's a team. I'm sure the coaches get a little nervous sometimes watching our defense hit our offense so hard in practice. It's a catch 22 situation. The defense wants to practice hitting at top speed and full-force, yet avoid injuring players on their own team. On the other hand, if they don't go 100%, they put themselves in a position where they are vulnerable to injury. There have been several times in practice when I was tackled and wondered if all my body parts would still be connected when I got back up. I constantly take solace in the fact that I will never have to face these players in a real game situation. They give me confidence, they help me persevere, they make me a better player.     Back