Like many spring sports that got canceled in 2020, the girls soccer team was unable to have a season. Last year former head coach Dennis Plantz was supposed to return to coach the varsity team. This year the girls were finally able to welcome back Coach Plantz.

“As I move into my second ‘kick’ at coaching girls varsity soccer, we must incorporate mental performance training,” Plantz said. “Since the COVID crisis era, now it is a ‘Relax’ ‘Focus’ ‘Be Confident’ cue to coaching.” 

The team has been doing open gyms twice a week with the boys soccer team to build up skills, fundamentals and competition between the two teams. Plantz also shares what dynamics and skills he hopes to bring this season that he could not last year because of the pandemic.

“The mental performance dynamic is something I hope to bring to the team. Making a better rounded and confident player develops leaders, who then become a more confident person,” Plantz said. 

The beginning of the season is always challenging whether it is finding enough girls to play or having younger players, but for the girls soccer team their challenge is positions.

“Since all of our goalies graduated, the most challenging part is going to be finding a new goalie, but I am confident that it is going to be the least of our worries and we can just face it head on,” Petraszak said.

Senior Ashley Ryckman is ready to take on difficulties and hardships like having younger players who have not played at the high school level because of the pandemic affecting the 2020 season.

“With COVID-19 canceling our season in 2020, there are now two grades of players who have yet to play in a high school game. This will certainly be a challenge that all of us will have to overcome,”  Ryckman said. “Finding out the strengths and weaknesses of each player early will allow us experienced players to provide mentorship.”

The pandemic has posed a challenge for many athletic seasons, especially spring sports. The girls were able to have a meeting with Plantz to discuss practices and goals as a team.

“We just met our new head coach at our meeting this past Thursday, March 18. He has not been able to attend any of the open gyms so far. However, at our meeting we talked about using contact days starting the week of spring break,” Ryckman said. “A goal that we discussed at our meeting was to improve our overall performance as a team.”

As the season gets closer and closer, the team has set goals for the long awaited season.

“I think one team goal that everyone has is to have a good season and to grow as a team and learn how to work together,” Petraszak said.

The first game, contact days and practice  for the girls soccer team is yet to be determined.