Schools
Conestoga Boys Soccer Team Has Big Goals for 2011
Pioneers Coach David Zimmerman says Friday of the first week of practices is always one of the toughest days of the season.
Coming off the field after the first preseason practice on Monday, soccer captains Ryan Balfour and Clarke Fox were optimistic, but aware of the big job looming ahead.
The Pioneers made it to the quarterfinals in the state tournament last year and Head Coach David Zimmerman says “I’m expecting another competitive season,”
Zimmerman's 2010 team had a 22-1-3 record, winning the Central League and competing in the state tournament before being sent home for the season in a hard-fought quarterfinal 3-2 loss against Central Dauphin.
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They've had a year to recover, and the new 2011 team captains saw some good signs as they came off the field on Monday, just after the first of multiple time trials. “We got pretty good times [in the two-mile run],” Balfour said. “I think most of us beat our times from last year.”
Captains Balfour and Fox are seasoned vets, but even some freshmen, while new to Conestoga, have years of playing behind them. Freshman Nick Cruickshank, who has played soccer for nine years, said he was looking forward to the week, but with some apprehension.
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“I’m excited about getting to play with the older kids and see how I compare,” he said. “I’m nervous about that, too, because I don’t want to get killed by them all.”
After time trials, scrimmages, and drills this week, the team will start taking shape on Friday and start focusing on the upcoming season.
“This is actually my least favorite week of the season because at the end we have to let some players go,” Zimmerman said.
Once the team is assembled, Fox, said he looks forward to playing Central Dauphin again.
“That’s kind of pushing us right now,” Fox said.
The Pioneers’ first interscholastic challenge comes August 26 at Shipley’s Playday. Their first home game is September 13 against Upper Darby under the lights at Teamer Field.
“We had a really good season last year,” Fox said. I’m nervous about “living up to the expectations that everyone has, but hopefully we can come together as a team and live up to them.”
