(Suffern, NY) - With the new Preseason just around the corner, the Booster Club Press team sat down with Varsity Girls Head Coach Mike Corini to discuss the upcoming season. Here are some of his perspectives as the girls prepare for competition. We will get Bob Walkley's view from the boys start next week.
Booster Club: Coach you had a great season last year with another improvement in your record and sectional seeding. With the loss of some key graduating seniors how do you feel about the upcoming schedule?
Coach Corini: The schedule is the toughest I have seen so far, but I think we have the personnel to take it on. The girls are aware of what it will take to win and they seem ready to compete at the level we all know they can. There will be a few key positions this year, especially finding another consistent scorer up top and we are all going to have to step it up. But we have a great core of returning players, and our starting 11 didnt change that much.
Booster Club: Which teams do you do you see as our main competition?
Coach Corini: North Rockland, Scarsdale, and RC Ketcham are going to be key matches, but if the girls want to succeed as they have done over the last few years, just about every game on the schedule is important. They are going to have to be consistent if they want to compete this year. There really aren't too many games on the schedule that we can look past, but the thing that will make some of the games a little more meaningful is the emotion behind them and the symbolic significance of a victory.
Booster Club: Do you feel the overall Suffern soccer program has built the depth it needs to remain a sectional powerhouse over the next few years?
Coach Corini: I think Suffern women's soccer has made tremendous gains. We have the largest incoming freshman class that I have seen (24 physicalled players). Over 60% of our current JV and Varsity players are playing club ball, and I dont see these numbers changing. Our main feeder program, Ramapo Valley Soccer Club has seen a huge increase in enrollment and this can only have positive effects on the school program. So with all of that in place, I think we will become increasingly competitive over the next few years.
Booster Club: Are you changing any of your formations or positions for any players?
Coach Corini: Without giving away too many secrets (:-) you always look at a new season and attempt to play to your strengths, but I think the core of our players will remain where they are. Our midfield may see some changes in the middle, and at times we will certainly employ an extra back...but the greatest change will be in using a 4-4-2 a little more consistently.
Booster Club: Will there be more night games this year now that the new turf field is in place at the Middle school?
Coach Corini: We have several on the schedule, and we are hoping to make them real "soccer extravaganzas". We want to team up with the boys as well as work with Ramapo Valley to really promote soccer in the community. We encourage people to come out and join us on these nights. They will see several games as well as have an opportunity to see some of what our club has to offer.
Booster Club: Thanks Coach and good luck!
Aug 20 - The Time Has Come! The High School pre-season starts on August 27th, 8:00am at the Suffern HS soccer fields. This is for all boys and girls entering 9th thru 12th grade. Please get your physicals done by the school nurse.
The Annual Suffern Soccer Kick-Off Bar-B-Q at Suffern HS will be held on Friday August 31st. All Varsity and J-V players and families are welcome. Stay tuned for further details as the summer unfolds.
Our Booster Club will host "The Brian and John Novotny Soccer Scramble" at the Suffern Middle School on Wed. Sept. 5th and Thursday Sept. 6th. All of Rocklands Boys Varsity teams will be playing at our site. Please plan to come and support the team!