NL Soccer Rising Toward Major Turnaround

A glance at the CIAC Class L boys' soccer records causes one to feel like they've been doinked in the head with a soccer ball.

, with a traditionally sub .500 program that has dipped to uncompetitive levels recently including a 1-14-1 record last year, stands No. 1 with a 3-0 record.

New London, No. 1? In basketball, football and even baseball, no surprise. In soccer? Must be some sort of typo. Well, take a picture. The 3-0 record is real, although Whaler coach Chris Vamvakides believes it's too early to say if the team is for real.

"As a coach, it's a positive to know the team is playing their game well enough to be 3-0," he said. "But seeing our name at the top can also be a negative. Some of our younger players may think we're already 'there' whereas in reality we still have a lot of work to do. We haven't started the ECC Medium Division schedule yet and need to approach things like we're 0-3."

While trying to temper overactive enthusiasm after the first-week wins over Killingly (3-2), Plainfield (2-0) and St. Bernard (3-0), Vamvakides can't completely downplay the great start. Not with a program that has sandwiched 1-14-1 records around 3-13 in the last three seasons and has finished far below .500 since the coach's senior NLHS year in 2000.

"A lot of positive factors are coming together at the same time," said Vamvakides, the third-year coach and NLHS teacher who played on "decent" Whaler squads. "We realize New London is a football town, but we've worked hard to achieve what we have.'

If you subscribe to the theory that you are a product of your environment, then the 2011 NLHS soccer season projected improvement. The Whalers play their first season on renovated Cannamela Field's turf surface after previously training and playing at across town.

"There were a lot of factors why the program was down," Vamvakides said. "First was the factor our numbers have been low, based primarily because we've had to bus kids every day to Caulkins Park. Top ECC programs like East Lyme, NFA and Waterford have 40 to 60 kids try out. We've been lucky to have 20, which makes it tough to compete. Having a beautiful home field has helped. There are no bad bounces now."

Aside from a strong home field, continuity keys the upswing. This is Vamvakides' third year. A handful of players who were thrust into varsity roles by necessity as underclassmen are now senior leaders.

Senior midfielder Pat Hanrahan had contributed to every Whaler goal to date with seven assists and one score. Senior goalkeeper Romer Ochoa has posted two shutouts. Forward Rafayel Wassef scored two goals against St. Bernard in a dominant Whaler effort, 16-3 shots edge.

"Pat is off to a phenomenal start," the coach said. "It's finally coming together for him. The game has slowed down for him every year. He was thrown into the varsity mix by sheer necessity as a freshman. He's getting all his teammates involved now.

"Romer, a captain for us since his freshman year, is a lifesaver," Vamvakides said. "In years past, we might lose 3-0 or 4-0. If not for him, the score might be double digits."

A couple of younger players have shone early. Sophomore midfielder Zavier Veliz, Brayan Mara and freshman defender-midfielder C.J. Parker have drawn the coach's praise.

"Every aspect of Zavier's game is ten times better," he said. "C.J. plays such a beautifully simple game, playing to his strengths and staying away from weaknesses. Brayan has dedicated himself to become a better player, student and person."

Vamvakides said the has added a handful of players with youth soccer experience from suburban towns. The New London Soccer Association fields a representative program despite lacking the funding and facilities of ECC rival towns.

What New London features that other suburban towns may lack is diversity. NLHS is home to students from a variety of Central American, South America and European countries where soccer is king.

"We make a joke that we are like the United Nations," said Vamvakides, who is of Greek heritage. "New London has students from Chile, Peru, El Salvador, Haiti, Egypt and Albania. Soccer is a universal language that all countries understand."

And so far, New London is speaking it very well.