Dash's first-day scrimmage important for coach Vera Pauw

With so many unknown things surrounding the Dash this season, first-year coach Vera Pauw does not want to waste any time learning as much as she can about her new team.

So, instead of guiding the new players through a training session Monday on the first day of preseason camp, Pauw scheduled a scrimmage against a youth boys team from Rise Soccer Club.

Pauw’s reasoning is simple. Monday was her first chance to see her new players play in person.

“We were excited that we could finally get on the pitch and that with their individual programs they were ready to play a scrimmage,” Pauw said. “It is a great start. We have already seen a lot and we are going to work from there…From here we go to…