The reigning Co-SSC Champions are back, and they are looking forward to making statements on and off the field. The NSU women’s soccer team’s quest for another great season began at home on Sept. 4, led by SSC Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year, Mike Goodrich.
Goodrich was appreciative of the honor but gives all the credit to the players. He said he is ready for the new season, and has been pleased with the team.
“Their camaraderie and chemistry [has caught my attention]. They’re a very intelligent soccer team,” said Goodrich.
However, an area that Goodrich would like to see this team improve upon is communication.
Senior Midfielder, Sarah Wareham, agrees.
“If we communicate more, it opens up a lot more opportunities on the field, helps us work better together, and I think that’s what we need to do,” said Wareham.
Despite winning a conference championship last year, Wareham said the team is not complacent and motivation will not be an issue.
“I think we have a lot more to prove this year, [and we have] the motivation to prove that we are a good team,” she said.
Winning games is important to the team. However Goodrich places a greater emphasis on winning off the field.
“I want the girls to become involved in the university — joining clubs, getting involved — being college students first and athletes second. I want them to enjoy their experience, because you only get one shot at college,” said Goodrich.
Senior Defender, Lindsey Nowland, said, “As a team, we are shooting for a higher GPA this year.”
Nowland is recovering from ACL surgery and hopes to be ready for all of the conference games. She believes greater support from NSU fans can help the team as they hope to capture another conference title.
“To have more fans, it would be great. It’s really motivating when you have a lot of people in the crowd cheering,” she said.
