Soccer

Senior-laden soccer squad hopes experience leads to success

With 11 seniors on his squad, soccer head coach Chris Pfau expects that leadership will not be a problem this season.   |  File photo/The Daily Cougar

With 11 seniors on his squad, soccer head coach Chris Pfau expects that leadership will not be a problem this season. | File photo/The Daily Cougar

This season brings a different venue and conference for the soccer team, but the players are anything but new.

Soccer is all about the seniors for the upcoming season — the team’s roster includes 11 players entering their final year of eligibility.

Having that much experience and leadership on a team produces both good and bad dynamics, said head coach Chris Pfau.

“With that many seniors, everyone wants to be heard and be the leader,” Pfau said. “If the coaching staff does not learn to teach each player how to work with each other and (to be a) team first, we could have 11 players going in 11 different directions.”

The team’s experience gives it a chance to excel in the new American Athletic Conference, Pfau said.  The Cougars joined the new conference on July 1 and are eager to meet the challenging new opponents they will face.

The players and coaches are confronted with a new conference and a different home venue, the Carl Lewis International Track & Field Complex, and are adjusting to the narrower field in practice.

With a veteran group, the Cougars know what it will take to win consistently.

“This group wants to win, and I believe they will work together and be great mentors to the underclassmen,” Pfau said.

Even if the team is senior-heavy, it’s all good feelings for everyone involved, said senior Goalkeeper Cami Koski.

She said that the team’s history together improves its chemistry.

“The amount of experienced players we have gives us a leg up, as we already know what to expect out of each other’s work ethic, play style and positioning,” Koski said.

Pfau recognizes that the biggest area of help that experience will bring in is the team’s ability to work together.  Camaraderie is key for the Cougars.

“They have been through everything over the last couple of years and know that if you keep doing the little things each day, the good will outweigh the bad,” Pfau said.

[email protected]

1 Comment

Leave a Comment