Members of the Clarke Central High School boys varsity soccer team practice on Jan. 19 in Billy Henderson Stadium. The team is preparing for their first official game of the season against East Hall High School on Feb. 2 and is adapting to the loss of senior players. “Certainly we lost a lot of top-end talent. We lost a lot of really good players, some that went on to play college soccer and just elite level players, but the new players have just rebounded exceptionally well beyond all things that I was hoping for,” head boys varsity soccer coach Chris Aiken said. “To see how quickly we’ve cohesively come together has been great, and I think it’s gonna really pay dividends once we start playing games.” Photo by Audrey Enghauser
In their first official game of the season, the Clarke Central High School boys varsity soccer team will play non-region opponent East Hall High School at home on Feb. 2.
With their 2020 season cut short due to COVID-19, head boys varsity soccer coach Chris Aiken says the team is coming back to the field with a renewed sense of spirit.
“The energy, positivity (and) effort, all that is (at) some of the highest levels I’ve seen in my nine years at Clarke Central,” Aiken said. “I think a lot of that has to do with the boys are just so excited to see other people face-to-face, get out of their house, interact with other people, and so you’re seeing all that energy and the positivity really translate on the soccer field, which is great.”
On Jan. 29, the team won a scrimmage against White County High School at home 2-1. To prepare for that game as well as the one on Feb. 2, the team has focused on adapting to the new composition.
“We graduated 13 seniors last year, and so right now we’re focusing on a lot of competition battles at practice where various players are competing versus each other to see who’s going to get that starting spot, who’s going to be the backup and who’s going to be the reserve player,” Aiken said. “We subdivide practice into speed and agility work, followed by ball work, and then the rest of practice is competition positions.”
Fitness and endurance have been a focus for defensive midfielder Aydan O’Connor, a senior.
“The position I play is very running-demanding, especially with Coach Aiken’s system. He demands that we keep a good defensive shape and it requires a lot of physical exertion from all the players, so I’ve been working on my fitness,” O’Connor said.
“(Aiken) demands that (the team) keep a good defensive shape and it requires a lot of physical exertion from all the players, so I’ve been working on my fitness.”
— Aydan O’Connor,
defensive midfielder
According to Aiken, the team adheres to certain COVID-19 safety regulations at practices.
“All the players have to check in every day and go through the COVID questionnaire, and then (for) the final question I take their temperature,” Aiken said. “We try to design as many drills as we can (in which the players) are socially distanced (and more than) six feet of each other. We try as little as possible to have them congregated together talking.”
O’Connor feels that the team’s focus and readiness for the game is due to a strong group of athletes.
“The season not being guaranteed definitely plays a role, but it’s the people in the program that have really changed the culture from previous years. Everyone’s really dialed in, everyone wants to work hard,” O’Connor said. “We’ve been waiting since last year when the season ended prematurely to finally get back out there on the field, (so) I know everyone’s really excited to play.”
Aiken says that ultimately, this game against EHHS serves the purpose of improving the team’s strategies to perform well in the playoffs.
“All of these other non-region games are chances to experiment with different lineups, formations (and) players in different positions so that when you get ready for that first region game, you feel confident that you’ve got the best 11 out on the field in the best formation and tactics,” Aiken said.
