The RHS soccer season is set to unfold in a few weeks and both teams are fired up to play. The Reporter decided to take a closer into how both the boys’ and girls’ teams are preparing for the season. With both teams being in their fourth year of existence, both squads are looking to take the next step in developing their programs.
The Reporter sat down with boys’ head coach Gilberto Rodriguez and girls’ Head Coach Shirley Lozano to discuss this year’s expectations.
BOYS—With the team losing nine seniors from last year, the team will look for the youth to step up in a big way this year.
“There will be a lot of new kids coming out to play this year,” Rodriguez said. “We had nine seniors graduate last year, so the base of the team for the last three seasons is pretty much gone. We have a few kids returning that are going to be huge for us.”
Rodriguez said this year’s team is hyped and ready to play this season. He expects this year’s team to be more disciplined and productive.
“I feel like this year everybody wants it,” Rodriguez said. “Last year, we had a few issues with discipline early. This year the kids are holding themselves more accountable. They are aware that our experience isn’t where it has been the last three years, but I feel that will push them to work even harder. The willingness and kids’ desire to succeed has been evident.”
With the team having plenty of new faces this season, Coach Rodriguez says he feels that he will be able to mold this year’s team into being a successful one.
“Our biggest weakness is our inexperience,” Rodriguez said. “I feel that it’s a good and bad thing for us. It’s just an extra motivator to work a little bit harder. A lot of these kids have never played soccer before so getting the kids up to speed will be a challenge. It can also be a strength because as a coach, when you get kids who played already, they tend to think they know more than the coach. So, when you get new kids, you can mold them into the players you need them to be.”
Many of this year’s kids haven’t ever played soccer. Coach Rodriguez says he plans to help them get up to speed with drills and hard work.
“We just have to have a repetition of basic drills,” Rodriguez said. “The drills include things like basic passing, basic marking and knowing how to defend the ball. That’s why I love to coach soccer because I feel like any kid with some type of athleticism can play. I think if we learn the little things we’ll be okay.”
Rodriguez says he expects many of his new guys to learn the game quickly and have a breakout season.
“I am actually pretty excited for all of my freshman guys,” Rodriguez said. “I can’t just name one person. They’ve shown that they’re in shape and eager to get on the field.”
Rodriguez expects this year’s senior class to be great leaders the group and to bring the program to new heights.
“I feel like we have a few leaders for this team,” Rodriguez said. “Hagen Land is a returner. It will be his third year playing soccer for us. Same thing for Fernando Gonzales. It will be his fourth year playing. I expect both of them to be very important to the team.”
Rodriguez says he expects this year’s team to have a strong mentality and much improvement this season.
“The mentality for us is to keep it simple and straight to the point. We really have to be on point with our game plan and make sure we execute it. We need to be way more tactical and put pressure on our opponents. First, we will learn the basics of passing and shooting and we’ll take it from there.”
GIRLS—A new era begins for the Rockdale girls’ soccer program as Lozano takes over as the new head coach. With the girls failing to win a game last season, Lozano says she plans for this year’s team to have a new work ethic and mentality.
“Mentality-wise, I hope the girls are ready,” Lozano said. “I’m going to make them be ready for what’s to come. Just positivity and giving them something new to look at that they haven’t seen in previous years. I want to turn their mentality into focusing on this year instead of focusing on the past.”
Lozano says the girls can expect a lot of changes from how they have done things in years past.
“We’re going to change everything from offense, to defense, to the way we think,” Lozano said. “It’s going to be a whole different team.”
“The biggest strength of this year’s team is their teamwork,” Lozano said. “This is a tight-knit group and they play for each other. Our biggest weakness so far is running. I always tell the girls that they have to keep going.”
Lozano says her goals for this year’s team is to get in the win column.
“I just want them to win one game since we failed to do that last season,” Lozano said. “I expect all of the girls to improve and have great seasons.”
Both the boys’ and girls’ team will start their seasons on Dec. 11 against the Academy Bumblebees at home.
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