Specht’s Extra Attention to Detail Is a Bonus for Cypress

When members of the Cypress College women’s soccer team take part in a new drill, midfielder Jane Specht pays closer attention than she used to.

Then as soon as she gets home, she takes out a notebook and writes down everything she can remember.

Specht, who has 10 goals this season, isn’t spying on her own team, and she is open about her plans for the information. She will use it while coaching the Savanna High freshman-sophomore girls’ soccer team this winter. She was a varsity assistant last season at Savanna but this will be her first time as a head coach.

Paying such close attention has also helped Specht as a player.

“I concentrate on [each drill] more,” she said, “and I remember how to do it and the importance of it.”

Wanting to be around soccer so much is a big change for Specht, who started playing organized soccer when she was 4. She had been a four-year varsity starter at Cypress High but didn’t plan on playing in college because she was burned out.

But a letter from Cypress Coach Ray Haas convinced her to continue.

Haas said he could tell Specht wasn’t sure about playing, so he made several bold predictions in the letter about what would happen if she joined the program.

All of his soothsaying came true, including the team winning the state title, and Specht being most valuable player of the state tournament and earning All-Orange Empire Conference and All-American honors.

“We really needed her,” Haas said. “She’s the kind of player who doesn’t come along that often. Plus, she’s a great kid, really down to earth.”

Specht was flattered by Haas’ predictions but was aware that just making the starting lineup was going to take more effort than she showed in high school.

“I knew I had to pick it up,” Specht said. “This is a much faster game and there is a lot more passing. I wasn’t used to being surrounded by such good players either.”

Specht often worked after practice with then-assistant Tino Ray Younger last season to improve her skills.

“You could put her anywhere on the field and she will get things done,” Younger said, “She’s positive all the time and will do anything you ask.”

Specht scored 24 goals last season, including one in the state championship game in which Cypress beat El Camino, 3-2. She also had an assist on the winning goal of the title game.

Specht said it was impossible to put the victory into words because of the emotion connected with it.

Part of the emotion stemmed from Cypress’ past frustrations. It was the fifth time in eight seasons that Cypress had reached the state tournament but it was the Chargers’ first title.

The season was also dedicated to 1996-97 Cypress standout Vedda Desatoff. Desatoff was in Mercy Hospital in San Diego at the time because of two brain operations after she passed out during a practice at San Diego State.

Specht not only knew Desatoff, who is still recovering, but had the daunting job of replacing her on the field.

“I felt like I had to prove something to her,” Specht said, “I had to show her that I could take her spot and get it done just like she did.”

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Specht had three varsity coaches in four years at Cypress High and has had to deal with some change at Cypress College as well.

Younger left after last season and was replaced by Ian Woodhead, who Specht says is helping fill her coaching notebook quickly.

Haas missed the first month of the season because of bypass surgery and was replaced by Larry Mercadante, who helped the team to an 12-0 start.

Haas, who said he is feeling great, started coaching again this week and will gradually return to his teaching load in the coming weeks.