By Chris Parker
McDonald County soccer has a new head coach in Jenny Meeker this season. Meeker was an assistant coach in the program last season.
“After working with Coach (Nathan) Haikey last year, I recognized how much I enjoyed working with the team and challenging myself,” Meeker said. “I knew it would be especially difficult becoming the head coach during my second year, but I felt confident that my familiarity with the team and my understanding of the program would lead us to success.”
She wants to see a tighter knit team this season.
“Last year, I recognized that the boys on the team really struggled with bonding,” Meeker said. “Therefore, it is important to establish a family environment where the boys respect one another and treat each other as true teammates. I want everyone on the team to come in with a good attitude, be ready to have fun, and work toward improving the program.”
The Mustangs return seven starters from a seven-win team.
Look for Santiago Bail (freshman), Michael Mendez (senior), Reyes Mendoza (junior) and Marcos Bail (junior) at forward. Mendoza was a first-team all-conference selection as a sophomore.
The midfield will feature Eberson Perez (senior) and Steven Gasca (senior).
Migue Mora (senior left defender) and Jairo Juarez (junior center back) will be on the backline.
Anthony Rosiles (junior) will handle goalkeeping duties where he has worked hard to improve his skills.
“Anthony Rosiles will be a junior this year and serves as the primary goalkeeper,” Meeker said. “I have had the opportunity to work one-on-one with him as the assistant coach and have seen him improve greatly. He has become more confident in himself and his abilities. He has also improved on communicating with the defensive line and shifting them around. This is important because as goalkeeper, Anthony has a whole view of the field.”
Mora and Gasca will be key leaders.
“Miguel Mora and Steven Gasca will be important team leaders this year,” Meeker said. “They have stepped up to act as leaders for their teammates and have worked extremely hard this summer. They have also been on the team for years and serve as role models for their teammates due to their experience.”
The roster overall brings a lot of skill.
“Each individual player on the team brings their own unique skills, which is evident from playing in Sunday leagues and achieving more experience off the field. I have a lot of skilled players on the team who are improving with every practice. They are also very physically fit, so they will be able to keep up with other teams and outpace them,” Meeker said. “The team has gotten much better at working together, especially this summer, but there are some areas that will need improvement. There are a lot of upcoming freshmen who bring their own skill to the team, but they will need to learn to adapt to the dynamics of the team and build chemistry. The team is also very young, as there are only three seniors who will be playing varsity.”
Ball control will be key for McDonald County.
“This year, I want the team’s identity to be centered around possession of the ball, using the full extent of the field, and engaging in relentless positivity,” Meeker said. “I want the team to be able to work the ball around the entire field and understand the importance of control. Most importantly, I want the team to remain positive no matter the outcome of the game, which means playing as hard as they can until the last whistle blows.”
McDonald County opens the regular season on Aug. 28 at Neosho.
“I do not expect perfection from any player, but I expect them to come in with a growth mindset and take practice seriously,” Meeker said. “I also expect them to uplift each other, as many of the players are on different levels of skill and experience. Mostly, I want them to have fun.”
