Fontbonne Coach up to Challenge with Young Soccer Team

Paul Piotrowicz has seen a lot as his 30-plus years as a soccer coach, but this year might be a new thing for him in his 25th year with .

After graduating 11 seniors last year, the Ducks returned a reasonable eight players to the field, but before the season even started Piotrowicz and his staff lost two potential players on the team, leaving the Ducks with six experienced players and a plethora of young talent that has never seen the field as a varsity player.

A challenge? Yes. But one the head coach is ready for.

“This is absolutelty the biggest challenge I’ve ever had in coaching,” said Piotrowicz. “Normally we have enough players where the girls can kind of dictate things out there. But it’s really going to rely on me to get the players to understand how to play at that varsity level. It’s so different from varsity to junior varsity and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Piotrowicz still has some key pieces to help along the way.

Brianna Foley is the only senior to play for the Ducks from freshman year all the way to senior year on the roster. Junior Callie Cabral also provides the coach with another rock to lean on to coach the players on the field.

Caroline Staples will be a busy player, playing in any spot on the field that coach asks of her.

“Very solid player and a good utility player,” Piotrowicz said of Staples. “I can put her anywhere. She never complains, she never says that’s my spot. She’s 100 percent about the team.”

The last captain for the Ducks is Kiki Ham. Ham came to the Ducks as a transfer last season and the players and coaching staff fell in love with her infectious hustle.

“She does it with desire and she’s a great athlete,” said the coach. “She’s fun to watch.”