Hopatcong Grad Takes Over Soccer Team

Evyn Tarvydas couldn't wait. Sure, the senior was looking forward to starting his final season. But he was also excited to learn from one of his school's products.

Ryan Masterson will take the helm of the Chiefs boys soccer team this fall. He replaces Brian Carr, who led Hopatcong to the playoffs in 2010, and becomes Hopatcong's fourth head coach in as many years.

Masterson, a 2006 Hopatcong graduate, played throughout high school and for three years at Delaware Valley College in Pennsylvania. He took one medical red shirt while playing at the Division III school, where he majored in criminal justice and graduated in 2010.

Masterson said he was hopeful the Chiefs could repeat last year's success. He addressed the team for the first time Thursday morning.

"I'm pretty confident you guys will be able to do it," he said as players and parents listened.

Then Masterson broke down his coaching style.

"I don't know what style you guys play," he said. "It could be a whole different style from what I play. I play possession. I like possession more. You guys are going to learn a bunch of different ways to play. Like, with forwards, I'm sure you're just used to turning and running up the field with the ball, right? You guys will probably learn to have more confidence with the ball, passing it back."

It's that institutional knowledge that helped Masterson land the job, Athletic Director Tom Vara said.

"He's been through the sport here in this building," Vara said. "He knows Hopatcong. He know Hopatcong soccer. It's always nice when you bring former players back because they bring that spirit back. They know what it's like to be a player in this particular building."

"Second thing, he comes with a tremendous background in the sport," Vara continued. "Just like the coach had last year, he's a young former player with a good background, a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm, new ideas. We're excited about all of it."

Vara said that while it's unfortunate the Hopatcong boys soccer team hasn't found a mainstay coach in a while, the group and Masterson will work well together.

"We're just going to have to move forward with the situation," Vara said. "So you seniors are going to have to adapt to a new coach yet again. We don't have a lot of time to get to know one each other. In a short time you're going to be in camp and before you know it you're going to be playing your first soccer game. So, the seniors are going to have to move on and take charge and get this done."

Captains have hosted practices through the summer. Official practices will begin Aug. 22. That's when Masterson plans to make his mark.

"You'll learn to play 360 degrees," he said. "You won't be just kicking it up the field or kicking it out of bounds."