THE NORTHWEST COLLEGE MEN’S SOCCER TEAM BEGAN THE SEASON WINNING 5 OF THEIR FIRST 7 CONTESTS BUT SINCE THEN HAVE GONE 1-3. THEY CURRENTLY SIT AT 6-4-1 OVERALL ON THE YEAR. WITH JUST 5 GAMES REMAINING IN THE SEASON THIS TEAM IS LOOKING TO GET BACK TO THEIR WINNING WAYS. HEAD COACH BEN MCARTHUR HIGHLIGHTS HOW THE TRAPPERS CAN GET BACK INTO THE WIN COLUMN MORE CONSISTENTLY.
“AS A COACH I THINK IT COMES BACK TO TRAINING. WE WANT TO TRAIN AT A HIGH LEVEL EVERY DAY AND WE EXPECT THEM TO COME TO PRACTICE, PUT IN THE WORK ETHIC, BE FOCUSED IN AND THEN THAT TRANSLATES TO CONSISTENCY DURING GAMES. SO I THINK IT’S KEY. THE CONSISTENCY I THINK’S GOT TO COME FROM PRACTICE, RIGHT? CAN WE CONSISTENTLY TRAIN AT A HIGH LEVEL AND THEN WHEN IT’S TIME TO PUT THAT INTO ACTION IN THE GAME, YOU KNOW WE’RE ABLE TO EXECUTE.”
WITH THE PLAYOFFS JUST AROUND THE CORNER THE TRAPPERS ARE RIGHT IN THE THICK OF THINGS IN THE REGION 9 CONFERENCE SITTING 6TH PLACE OUT OF 11 TEAMS. WITH TWO DIVISION GAMES UPCOMING COACH MCARTHUR HIGHLIGHTS WHAT’S AT STAKE GOING FORWARD.
“THE TOP 8 TEAMS IN THE REGION MAKE THE REGION TOURNAMENT. WE WANT TO OBVIOUSLY FINISH IN THE TOP 8 AND THEN EVEN MORE SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW WE’D LOVE TO FINISH IN THE TOP 4 CAUSE THEN YOU GET TO HOST THE FIRST ROUND. SO THAT’S WHAT’S ON THE LINE, RIGHT? FIRST AND FOREMOST WE’VE GOT TO FINISH A COUPLE OF GAMES TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET INTO THE TOP 8, AND WE’RE RIGHT THERE. THEN ON THE FLIP SIDE IF YOU CONTINUE TO WIN SOME GAMES YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET INTO THE TOP 4.”
WITH MATCH-UPS VS. GILLETTE AND SHERIDAN ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEKEND, COACH MCARTHUR HIGHLIGHTS A KEY FACTOR IN DETERMINING IF THE TRAPPERS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
“JUST TRANSITION OFFENSE TO DEFENSE AND DEFENSE TO OFFENSE. WHEN WE WIN THE BALL HOW QUICKLY CAN WE GET FORWARD, HOW QUICKLY CAN WE PUT THE OTHER TEAM UNDER PRESSURE. AND THEN JUST THE OPPOSITE, WHEN WE LOSE THE BALL HOW QUICKLY CAN WE WIN IT BACK AND DO WE HAVE TO WIN IT BACK RIGHT AWAY OR CAN WE DROP IN AND GET ORGANIZED AND GET NUMBERS BEHIND THE BALL. SO WE’LL TALK ABOUT ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS THIS WEEK.”
THE NORTHWEST COLLEGE MEN’S SOCCER TEAM RETURNS TO THE PITCH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY FOR MATCH-UPS WITH GILLETTE AND SHERIDAN WITH GAME TIME AT 3:30 EACH DAY.
