There are only seven returning players to the USM Men’s Soccer team this year-the smallest veteran crew in recent history-and 20 new faces. With 11 players on the field at any one time during regulation play, the team is starting off the season with too few return players to legally start a game.
“Before preseason started I had apprehensions about this season’s team,” said senior captain Mike Hangge. “But this year’s team is a good group with lots of different styles. The challenge is molding them all into one uniform style that works.”
Hangge stated that, though there were some problems during preseason, the team has been improving rapidly since. He sees team development as the biggest goal for this year.
“If a year goes by and a team doesn’t grow or learn anything, then something is wrong with that team,” Hangge stated.
“My first concern now is to the team’s unity,” said head soccer coach Eric Miller. “Once we are playing well as a team then more competitive goals can become our focus.”
Soccer requires a team to attempt to restrict the opposing team on a field slightly larger than a football field during two 45-minute halves, a feat that calls for tight teamwork and inter-player trust. Having so many new players can pose a threat to this essential weave, said Hangge.
“The problem is that each player holds his old coach’s mentality, so to get everyone on the same game plan we first had to get the old coaches’ mentalities out of our new teammates’ heads,” said Miller. “I expect a lot of mistakes. Mistakes are part of the learning process.”
The preseason started out with 18 freshmen and 5 transfer students, coming from home states of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Maine. Coach Miller said that the team’s practice schedule has been heavy, and that they lost some preseason players because the training was “too intense.” Despite the challenges, he has faith in the team’s ability to grow and be successful. Hangge attributes this to Miller’s strong coaching skills and the veteran players’ respect for him.
“The reason we have had success so far is because the returning players have such strong faith in coach and his playing style,” said Hangge. “So when the new players doubt him, they still give it a chance.”
This year’s team won 4-0 in the annual Alumni game last week. The next home soccer game will be played against Thomas College on Thursday, Sept. 13 at 4 p.m. on the Gorham Campus