COACH SPEAK: Valparaiso Men's Soccer
Aug. 27, 2008
Q: How have your preseason workouts been so far? Which areas have you've been pleased with?
A: We're off to a very good start. We have a really large group in preseason, so it has been a bit of a juggling act early on as we figure out exactly who and what we have. I can say this is a very deep and talented group. From top to bottom, our level as whole is significantly improved, and we have a lot of interchangeable parts. We are now looking for a few guys to step up and separate themselves from the pack. When that happens, I think we can be a very dangerous team.
Q: Your offense was pretty balanced last year. Is that a good feeling going into the 2008 campaign?
A: Yes, we do have a lot of options going forward. I think our balance is still good. What I am really hoping, though, is that we have one or two guys emerge in a special way. As you look around the NCAA, the really good programs have someone who scores 10-15 goals each season - maybe more. We have a few guys capable of carrying that kind of load for us. A balanced attack with someone having that special year is an ideal formula.
Q: You have six seniors on the roster. Talk about that group and what they've accomplished during the past three seasons.
A: Our seniors have been great. With such a large, and very young group, veteran leadership is critical to our success. We have had that with these six guys. Our team has already grown into a tight-knit bunch, and they have been extremely focused throughout our preseason. This is a credit to our senior class. My greatest hope this season is that we send these guys off with the type of season that they have worked so hard to deserve.
Q: Discuss your newcomers. Who has stood out to this point?
A: Rodolfo Lucas has been tremendous so far. He will be a standout in the league from day one. Kyle Zobeck has also been very good for us. There are quite a few young guys that will help us in the short term, and I think all have great potential to keep pushing us forward over the long haul. We felt that we had a good recruiting class, and so far that looks to be true.
Q: What kinds of goals have you set for this year's team (both on and off the field)?
A: Off the field, our goal is to continue the tremendous academic success the team has had throughout its history. The bar in that area has been set very high, as historically the VU team has excelled in the classroom. On the soccer field, our goals are pretty simple. We want to get better every day, and we want to reach our potential as a team. The potential for this program is sky high, and we want to be the group that reaches it.
Q: Preview your non-conference schedule. Have you added any new matches or tournaments?
A: We have great respect for our Horizon League opponents, so we have scheduled a very challenging non-conference slate to prepare us for the conference race. We've been able to play top teams from the Big East, Big Ten, and Missouri Valley in the past, and this year we continue that with games against DePaul, Michigan State, Evansville, Bradley and Eastern Illinois. We also keep some long standing rivalries going with matches against former Mid-Con conference opponents IUPUI and Western Illinois, and with matches against regular rivals Western Michigan and IPFW. It is a very good schedule, balanced well in timing and location, and we are excited to get it going.
Q: Your wife, Carin, is the head volleyball coach at Valparaiso. What's that experience like?
A: It's busy to say the least. Two Division 1 head coaches in the same family, especially one with a young boy in the mix, would be a challenge to anyone. We love it though. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and that could not be truer than in our situation. Our son, Alex, has a lot of people looking out for him. He's got more than 50 older brothers and sisters through the players on our respective teams, a whole building of aunts and uncles through our Valparaiso athletic department family, and a lot of love from our immediate family members who help us when Carin and my schedule conflict. We literally could not do this without the help we rely on, but at the end of the day, I think Alex is the lucky one.
Q: You have experience as both an assistant coach and head coach. What are the biggest differences between the two positions?
A: As the assistant coach I had to remember everything - every detail, every nuance. Now I can forget everything and my staff takes the heat when things go wrong ... being the boss is a pretty good gig!
