SHS boys soccer commit to winning

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

The Strathmore High School Spartans boys soccer team is the type of squad that is made up of boys that are aggressive and have that desire to win.
Second-year coach Kaitrin McDonnell hopes to see much of the same from her 2015 team.
“We only have a handful of kids returning, some have traded over to rugby, and it’s too hard to do both sports, even though we try to give them the opportunity to play both,” said McDonnell.
She admits that there will be some tough decisions to make with such a big group trying out on March 17.
“I have 38 signed up right now to come tryout for 18 spots, at most 20,” said McDonnell. “I’ve done pre-conditioning just to get kids active and moving again to get their feet on the ball a little bit before tryouts to see who’s bringing what to the table.”
McDonnell hopes to carry a group of players through their high school career and develop them into the best players possible.
“We have a 11 Grade 10s that are signed up right now to play and couple more that have filtered in and if I can carry them for three years on a team and have them play together and work together then it’s going to be awesome,” said McDonnell.
The program has seen its difficulties but there have been some immense improvements since McDonnell had taken over a year ago.
“It’s been an unfortunate program I had stepped into quickly last year and otherwise there wouldn’t have been a team,” said McDonnell. “Taking this on I think is more of a high school standpoint and coaching side of things, that kids have the skill and energy to win, so that’s easy to teach in the guys.”
After the tryouts on March 17, then the roster hopefully will be set on April 2.
Games will be later in April and into May and June.