Spartan coaching staff praise teams season

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

On a day where winter came, the Strathmore Spartans could not get their game on track. The conditions were tough and they lost 38-0 to the Sylvan Lake Bears in the peewee league championship game on Nov. 1.
They were also faced with the task of trying to battle a much bigger, physical team in the Bears.
Despite the one-sided affair, the coaching staff has a positive outlook on what the season was.
“It’s been a great year … I told the boys and I meant every word. I’ve coached pretty much every sport there is for 22 years and I can honestly say that I haven’t had as much fun as I’ve had this year with this group of coaches and players, ” said Travis Ericksteen, Spartans defensive coach. “(The players) are very coachable and very keen. It’s been a lot of fun, I’m pretty sad that the season is over and not because we lost, but now everyone is going to go their separate ways.”
Ericksteen had nothing but positive compliments about the teams determination to try new plays and the willingness to play different positions.
“A lot of it is just experience, they just needed a chance to get to play,” he said. “They really tried hard. They’re very positive. If you asked them to try something, they were willing to try it.”
He did admit in the loss, the weather played against what type of team they were.
“We’re a quick team and we have a great passing game on our offence and definitely today’s weather took away our two top advantages,” said Ericksteen.
Fourth year line coach Doug Thiessen praised his team for battling through the game, but knew that they got beat by a stronger team.
“The reality is they gave up a lot of weight and size today and had no traction. I’ve been on teams where as you get down, kids start getting hurt, there was not one kid who came off that field hurt unless they were truly hurt,” said Thiessen.
First year special teams coach Rob MacLachlin learned a lot from his other coaches and just watching the players perform on the field.
“The biggest surprise was what a team can do together and we saw these kids mature and grow drastically throughout the season. You would not recognize some of these kids if you met them the first day and saw them today,” said MacLachlin.