Clarke Central High School senior Ariel Jimenez (left) and sophomore Hunter Yelton (right) sit in the New Gym during soccer workouts on Nov. 9. Yelton enjoys the pre-season workouts and believes they are beneficial. “I did these workouts last year. My goal is to make varsity this year, and I’m hoping these workouts will help me get there. We do speed ladders, ballwork, footwork drills, stuff like that,” Yelton said. Photo by Krista Shumaker
The Clarke Central High School varsity and JV boys soccer teams started their pre-season workouts on Nov. 2.
The Clarke Central High School boys varsity and JV soccer teams started their pre-season workouts on Nov. 2. The workouts will be held every Friday from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m.
CCHS boys soccer head coach Chris Aiken has been running the workouts for seven years and has high expectations for upperclassmen on the team, who he believes will set the tone for younger members.
“The success we had last spring was due to the fact we had eight really good seniors that were vocal leaders, that did everything correctly, and so I hope this group of seniors can pick up where we left off last year,” Aiken said. “Having them come to the workouts shows the rest of the program the commitment they have, and that commitment from the older kids trickles to everybody, so hopefully I’ll have a good turnout from my juniors and seniors for all the workouts.”
CCHS junior Eric Tovar has been playing soccer under Aiken for three years and hopes to make the Varsity team this year.
“I’m hoping it’s going to help me so it can put me forward in the season so I can do my best. I’m trying to make it to the state championship,” Tovar said. “I think Coach Aiken is a good coach and his drills set us up to become better players.”
Although these workouts are highly encouraged, Aiken is more lenient with off-season workouts.
“They’re all really busy right now with club soccer and also with school work, so I don’t want to overwhelm them with high school soccer. (It’s) a third thing they have to keep up with so (I’m) just trying to encourage them to come one day a week, have good participation at that one session and hopefully that’ll carry us into the springtime,” Aiken said.
