Despite narrow loss WHS boys’ soccer looks strong for fall season

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham High School boys’ summer soccer team played York at Manchester School in Windham on Tuesday, July 29 and the Eagles battled hard for two halves, but at the final whistle York got by with a 2-1 win. However, summer soccer is more about fine-tuning players for the fall and figuring out what is going right and what needs improvement.

Windham senior Daniel Hancock, center, keeps possession
of the ball away from York during a boys' summer soccer
game at Manchester School in Windham on Tuesday,
July 29. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

“I think our possession play is what people have come to expect from the program,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach Jeff Neal. “The quality of our midfield play is very good and will continue to be a strength for us. We’ve got some younger players that need to step into some big roles and some players that maybe haven’t been tested in the big game stuff. I think if we had a full roster of 18 kids, that game leans more in our favor. I 100 percent feel that we’re going to be fine. This is about building blocks for what we want down the road.”

Windham took the field ready to go. Their defense didn’t allow York any scoring opportunities early on, and Windham went hard after the ball. Partway through the first quarter, Windham senior Dylan Crockett scored.

Moments later, York scored and tied the game, 1-1.

There were several shots on goal from various Windham players, but nothing got by.

“This game showed we got to work on our shots quite a bit; but our movement was good,” said Windham junior Caleb Hayman. “Our physicality was decent, and I think our chemistry was top notch, we’re doing pretty well with that. I’m very happy (with how Windham played). It showed how our team’s doing and how our chemistry will be there in the season. We’re also missing a few players tonight; getting touches on the ball and getting out here with the team (during the summer season), gets us prepared and kind of shows us what it’s going to be like.”

The game remained tied 1-1 at halftime.

In the second half, Windham did a good job communicating; they started the half aggressive, though got tired toward the end of the game. York scored again in the top of the fourth quarter.

“My takeaway from this game is we played well, we played hard,” said Windham sophomore Isaac Bernier. “There definitely some things we can work on like communication can always get better. We’ll work on it and once we get that down, I think we’ll be one heck of a team. We had a lack of subs as well, with only three or four players; had we had more subs, the outcome might have been different.”

Daniel Hancock, a Windham senior, said there were a lot of good things about the game, they moved the ball well. Throughout the whole summer they’ve been possessing well. It’s not the result they wanted, but the chances are there. Hancock said he thinks playing together more as they prepare for the season, everything’s going to come together and they’re going to be a great team.

“In the summer with the lack of numbers at times, people play different positions where they’re not used to and that can lead to breakdowns, but it can also be positives,” said Windham assistant varsity boys’ soccer coach Nick Dubay. “Today we had three defenders playing out back that aren’t really defenders. They had never seen varsity minutes and held their own.”

Neal said the summer season is an opportunity for the kids to show the coaches what they’ve got. They’re all vying for spots. They’re all trying to get better. You’re trying a bunch of things and seeing what will work and that’s what summer play is all about. <

Windham’s Eagle Soccer Camp teaches skills and sportsmanship to younger students

By Matt Pascarella

In the third year of Windham’s Eagle Soccer Camp, campers are taught skills of the game from the WHS boys’ and girls’ varsity teams, along with help from Windham High School graduates, soccer coaches and community members. The money made from the week-long camp held at Windham from July 21 to July 25 goes back to the varsity boys’ and girls’ soccer programs.

Windham sixth-grader Makayla Swander, right, holds back
opponent Trent Richards going after the ball during a 
scrimmage at the Eagle Soccer camp at Windham High
School on Friday, July 25.
PHOTO BY MATT PASACRELLA

“The motivation for me has always been to try and create a soccer family and bring that across multiple generations of former players, current players and future players. It’s all about relationships,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach and Eagle Soccer Camp organizer Jeff Neal. “I was super fortunate as a young player that I had coaches that tried to foster and instill that sense of community and family. When I started it, that’s what I wanted to try, but this has exceeded my expectations and that’s because of the people – this doesn’t happen without a lot of people. That’s the drive; to make something that people feel a part of but at the same time, it’s as much community building and relationship building. I want kids to know how to play the right way.”

The goal of the camp is to improve soccer skills for both the campers and high school players; this helps keep the programs competitive.

“I like doing soccer and I thought I would improve,” said Windham sixth grader Makayla Swander. “We learned how to dribble better and how to make it so (an opponent) can’t take the ball without fouling. It’s fun working with the bigger kids, they make it fun, and they teach us a lot.”

At the very end of the week the counselors give each camper an evaluation form with feedback; it had something good they’d done, something they need to work on, but remaining positive. Hopefully, this helps to incentivize the campers and shows that this camp is a place where they can come to get better and every player, regardless of age, is always trying to get better.

Landon Carey, a Windham sixth grader, wanted to participate to get skills and have fun. He had fun doing the activities and learned that leaning over the ball drives it down and leaning back drives it up. Carey made a lot of friends and wants to come back next year.

“I love helping kids,” said Windham graduate Josh Hancock. “I love seeing them enjoy it and have a good time. It’s awesome to get out here and help them however I can. They love to learn, but most important they love the game and they’re building foundations and just enjoying it, which is the important part; being here to watch them play and asking myself what I can do to help them is really important and helps me in the season and really for the rest of my life.

Girls’ varsity soccer coach Deb Lebel said the camp gives coaches a peek at what the future holds, and it gives the younger kids a chance to work with possible potential future teammates.

Lebel said the goal for the week is to get the kids as many touches on the ball and even if they picked up only one skill that improved their game to also have a lot of fun with a variety of different people. Some of these kids have built a connection here and they won’t miss a varsity game. There’s high energy in the stands which turns into high energy on the field. The younger kids know all the players and that connection makes the varsity players work harder.

"I’ve been working at it since it started, and I always have a really fun time teaching the kids how to learn to do stuff,” said Windham graduate Devan Kennie. “Once (the kids) are motivated they get really into it and really excited. Sometimes during the demos I’m still learning stuff, too; it’s not only them learning, I’m learning too. It has been a very positive week.” <