The boys’ soccer season is already in full swing for the 2013 season here at JHS. With a record of 9-5, the team has already shown success, especially with keynote wins over Sacred Heart Griffin and Quincy Notre Dame earlier in the season.
The 2013 team is coached by Evan Philpot with assistant coaches Ian English and Dan Keller. The coaches have taken pride this year in the team’s improvement in the 14 games they have played so far. Keller says that the team has made progress on “technique build up and team defending” while Philpot notes the advances in the sheer preparation for the games and the focus that the team has.
This improvement was not a mere happenstance, however. Soccer players at JHS have been working year round in order to better themselves. “You are pretty much always in season, “senior Chris Colburn says referring to the dedication it takes to be on the team. After regular season, players go straight to winter weight-training until spring when many join club soccer. At the start of summer, training for the regular season starts once again, not giving the players much down time.
The hard work has paid off so far, but improvements still need to be made in order to achieve the ultimate goals of the team. Communication on the field still seems to be something that the soccer players need to work on. Captain Ty Rogers also acknowledges that “keeping possession of the ball” is always a must as well as “keeping pressure on [the opponent’s] side of the field,” senior Nich Neeley states.
With advancements upon these areas, the soccer team hopes that they can accomplish something that has rarely been done: winning a regional championship. This team never gives up and has great potential to achieve this goal. With the determination and persistence of this year’s team, the post-season looks bright. According to Philpot, a promising future is possible as the players “control their own destiny” for the outcome.