BALLSTON SPA – A season that kicked off with the largest attendance for tryouts, and four players injured, Coach Brian Retersdorf is confident this self – driven group of athletes will achieve great success this upcoming season.
This is Coach Retersdorf’s ninth season coaching soccer at the school, and with each year he notices the team grows whether it be in participation or skill. This year’s team has 16 seniors, a majority of whom were players in preceding years.
"Last year we made it to the semifinals in sectionals. I would like to see a sectional final game and honestly, I would like to have a sectional final win,” said Coach Retersdorf. “We were one-off from being the Grey Division Suburban council leaders."
The Scotties are making their way through the season currently with a 4 – 2 League standing and a 6 – 2 overall standing.
With ambitious goals for the upcoming season with two starting players out for the season, one would think that would create some worry, but Coach Retersdorf believes that this group of athletes is adaptable and can power through a less than ideal circumstance.
“What's been amazing about this group of girls is that they all step up. And with the amount of depth and talent that they have - yes we miss those girls and yes those girls play a critical role to our program…I think yes, it's a big loss but we have such an amazing group of girls that we can make up for it."
Coach Retersdorf is sure to stress each year at tryouts that school comes first. The girls are keeping up with their high standards off the field as well. Each year Coach Retersdorf’s team has made the Scholar – All – Athlete Program and received recognitions for their academic achievement.
The support he and the team receive from the community, the administration and family, are part of what coach Retersdorf attributes his team’s fortunate success to. But alongside that, he states that his athletes are the driving force of the direction the team is going.
“I think that one of our biggest team successes is how the girls interact with each other on and off the field, and I think their team chemistry is one of our biggest strengths. Especially with our team captains,” said Coach Retersdorf. “And that I think is why we've had such success early on, and why I think we will continue to have success throughout the season.”
The girls take on Saratoga Springs at home Tuesday, October 1.
