The regular season has come to a close and I'd like to share some thoughts on how each season went for our 3 teams. Keep in mind we have different goals for each team, so my perspective is based on those specific goals.

 

JV Red

 

This was a challenging year for Matt as he inherited a group of players with limited competitive exeprience, and for a handful they had never even played in an organized team environment. As most years go, it was a little bumpy in the beginning as it takes some time for the boys to adjust to the level of high school soccer. But by the end of the season there was obvious improvement and the boys were playing their best soccer of the year, both as a group and as individuals. I am very happy about their progress throughout the year and I applaud Matt for his work with these young players. It takes a constant positive attitude and a lot of patience when focusing on individual development first and foremost. We can all get caught up in results, even at a developmental level, and of course we know all the boys want to win their games. However, this group stayed the course and kept their eyes on the big picture. The reports out of training were positive, and while there may have been a lack of focus from time to time (which is nothing new with young players), the boys worked hard to get better each week and I hope they felt the results of their hard work. Now the key will be to continue that development in the 9 months of the offseason!

 

JV Navy

 

I was really happy with the progress of our JV Navy squad. Coming into the season, this was an inexperienced group at the high JV level, with limited players holding big roles from the year before. We knew it would take some patience and a bit of time to get where we hoped they could get to. There were definitely some bumps along the way, and while they missed on some of their top goals throughout the year, they ended with an excellent two weekends at the Elizabethtown JV tournament. It has been awhile since our JV team has brought home a championship trophy from a high level JV tournament, so that is an awesome accomplishment! Brian and Adam did a great job with this group, and I saw a ton of improvement from all of the boys. They ended the season on a 10 game winning streak and we have a ton of confidence in our varsity players of the future! Congrats to them on a great season and I hope the season inspires all of the boys to really improve in the offseason, and come back even stronger next year!

 

Varsity

 

It has definitely been an interesting year with the varsity squad. Through the first 6 weeks of the season we played the toughest schedule in the state, and it wasn't really close. Even with a full roster that would have been a difficult task, however we had a bit of a revolving door of player availability for various reasons throughout the year. While positive results were tough to come by, it was clear we were in every single game. Of 17 regular season games, there were 12 games decided by 1 goal, either as a win or loss. Defensively we have been very strong all year long and we proved to be one of the best defensive teams in the region. On the flip side though we have been towards the bottom of the region in goals scored, so getting the ball in the net has been one of the challenges for us. It hasn't been without effort though, as our build up play through the midfield has been very solid all year, and we have created good opportunities in every single game we have played. It is a bigger concern if we are not creating those goal scoring opportunities. Of course there have been moments of frustration both from the coaching staff and some of the boys, which is expected, but overall they have stayed the course and believed that we could take the next step. We have known we are close all year long, as can be seen by how many close games we have played, and I am very proud of the boys for keeping a positive attitude, coming to work in every training session, and pushing for that breakthrough. We have preached staying patient and trusting the process all year long, and I believe the majority of them kept the big picture in mind. A positive end to the season provides a spark and much increased confidence through the team. I am excited to see what they do in the postseason as it is a brand new season for everyone. We will take it game by game, but we know this group can make a deep run! We're not done YETTE!

 

 

Overall it was another positive season for the program. More importantly than the results, we have a great group of players who support each other, bring a great spirit to games and practices, represent themselves and the school with class, and get the job done in the classroom. I couldn't ask to coach in a more rewarding high school program and I am honored to get to know all of these young men! We know they will all continue to make us proud as they move on to the next step past high school, and we hope their time in the program is at least a small tool to help them grow into the special adults we know they will be. Thank you boys for another fun year!