Coaching staff: Rodney Sternhagen and Jenn Vojta
Key returners: Zoe Anderson, Sarah Nagel, Emma Weber, Olivia Eliason are our seniors
Key newcomers:
We will have 6 freshmen and one junior coming to the soccer program. Many of them have played soccer for many years and talking to their coach they bring skill and speed. My junior is a Spanish foreign exchange student who is moving from field hockey to soccer this year and has some speed. In talking with he hockey coach I was told she is very coachable, so I am exited for the new editions to our team
Conference outlook: Our conference is always a battle. Being the smallest school in the conference we do our best to prepare for a David versus Goliath battle every conference game. We look to prepare them for the opponent they are playing each game allowing them to compete and always looking for the win. Lakeland and Rhinelander have been the teams on top for several years, but Medford, Mosinee, and Antigo always are a tough battle. To put it mildly, we have an incredible conference and these tough teams always prepare us for our postseason.
Keys to your success this season: We think our key to our success will start in the back this year. Last year we had two Freshman goalies who played very well and pushed one another to get better. We hope that they take their game to the next level and build from their rookie-year outing. We have a mature back four that we expect to be stingy on defense helping us to pull off the victory late in the tough battles we will face this year. If they can shut down attacks consistently and our counters end up in the back of the net we will have a successful season. We have yet to find a true goal scorer on the team so we hope we have a couple of ladies that will step up and fill that role. We struggled to score goals on tougher opponents and that is a must if we want to make a run postseason.
Coach’s comments: anything else you’d like to share? Our numbers are decent and we will be able to have two team which is essential in building a solid program in a small school district. When I transitioned to head coach 5 years ago we had 14 girls. Each year the numbers have been increasing which allows girls growth and learning time versus put under the fire of varsity. I think we have a solid core of girls that are returning who will step up and lead the team. Our last year senior was a strong voice and leader and we are looking for this mature team to step in an fill the shoes and continue a strong history of Pines Girls Soccer, creating their own legacy.
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2023-24 Area Conference Schedules: Conference and Team Links
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
