VYPE: What are the goals of the team this season?

We want to build on some of the success we had this last year. We didn’t have a lot of seniors, but the ones that we did were a big part of our success. I think we have some guys on the team that can help fill those shoes, and hopefully, we get another solid freshmen class like we had this past year so we can have some long-term success.

VYPE: What was the team’s best moment from last season?

I think our win vs. Heights is to move on to Regionals. You want to see your team playing its best soccer at the end of the season. I think Heights is in a similar boat as us. A very competitive team that had some new faces trying to figure some things out throughout the season. I felt like they had a strong attack and kept us on the ropes at times, so I was really proud of our guys for putting together a full 80 minutes to not only generate some scoring opportunities, which did not come easy for us this year, but we held them down defensively as well. This moved us a step further than the previous season, which I thought put a nice cap on the season.

VYPE: Who is the team’s dynamic duo, and why?

I think this still has to be established. We have a lot of young guys (freshmen and sophomores) who contributed and started on Varsity this year. The guys were not only learning to know each other but building chemistry with new teammates. We struggled a lot this season offensively, but I did see us come alive down the stretch at times. I think in time, we will see some guys start to build that dynamic chemistry we need.

VYPE: What is the team’s favorite memory together?

The guys always enjoy a chance to stop and eat after a long road trip game. It’s a great time for the guys to just hang out after a tough game. It’s always a great time for building that off-the-field chemistry and spending time with your teammates outside of the stress of a game or practice.

VYPE: What has been the biggest impression the team has made on you (the coach), and why?

At the end of every season, there is always something I say to my players and parents, especially to the seniors that are leaving. Being a coach is one of the most humbling experiences year after year. I love my players, and to me, it really is an honor that they come out every day ready to work hard and listen to everything I am asking of them. I am humbled by the trust parents put in me as a coach to instill in them lessons I hope will help them on and off the field now and in the future. A coach can really have an impact on a player in a positive or negative way beyond just the sport they are playing. Some of the decisions I have to make can be hard, and not everyone is going to like it, but I have been blessed to have players and parents alike that have always been very supportive, and it means a lot.

VYPE: What is your favorite part of working with this team?

Seeing the growth as a team and as individuals. Watching the improvements these guys make is always really exciting to see as a coach, but I was especially impressed with how well they started to gel with each other as the year went on. They became more and more comfortable with working with each, and I could just see the game become a lot more fun to play when they really started buying into each other as teammates.

VYPE: Does the team participate in any community service projects?

We do a clean-up day every year around the stadium and surrounding area schools in the vicinity.

VYPE: Are you any players involved in academic excellence activities such as the National Honor Society, Student Council, or other academic clubs?

I don’t believe I have any players currently involved in any of these activities.