Improvement is the goal for Redskins girls
By AARON PETCHAL, sports writerMINGO JUNCTION - The Indian Creek girls soccer team continues to make progress, although that can be hard to see in terms of wins and losses.
The Redskins are 0-5 this season under new coach Jerry Emley, who has taken over from Kevin Marsh.
"We are still moving some girls around," Emley said after his team's season-opening loss to Cambridge. "We are still trying to find out the best combination. We have got some time.
"We had a couple of scrimmages and you can imagine with 30 girls it can be tough trying to get everybody in and getting some playing time too."
Emley added the girls are starting to get to know each other.
"Things are going real well," he stated. "When we first started, they were very unfamiliar with the game and with each other, and there are a lot of new players. Out of the 30, 21 are new. So, you can imagine, but from where we have come from where we first started, we really have come a long way. We are just going to get used to it and keep pushing on.
"They are implementing what they are being taught, and that is all I can ever ask."
The Redskins opened the season with five seniors, six juniors, five sophomores and four freshmen on the varsity roster.
Rachael Powers, Lindsay Ward, Melaina Karkoska, Katie Dunn and Angela Snider are the seniors. Kristin Wendell, Trudy Dunlevy, Rebecca Vandine, Sonya Brodie, Allana Sida and Corin Kleinke are the juniors. Desarae Schrode, Kirstie Flanagan, Hannah Emley, Andrea Callaway and Lea Schmitt are the sophomores. Charlotte Wysong, Catie Hill, Shyla O'Dell and Jessica Wood are the freshmen.
"I think the strength is just going to be their willingness to learn," Emley commented. "It truly is that. From when we first started and started playing, the girls work hard. It is a very coachable team. They continue to learn, and the continue to listen and that is all you can ever ask.
"That is going to be their strength. In the end, that is what is going to bring them to where they need to be."
He added the seniors are the leaders of the team.
"You look at our seniors, Lindsay Ward and Rachael Powers, they have really stepped up," he stated. "I think when you look at Kristin Wendell, she has done a nice job in the midfield. She is a junior for us. She has done real well.
"Laina Karkoska, our senior in goal, this is her first year playing. She has come a long way from not playing the game before to where she is now."
The Redskins are looking to improve each day.
"The goal was that we were going to get better, and that is exactly what we are going to, that every time we played a game, or moved on, we were going to take it to the next level," Emley remarked. "That is all. We are just going to keep pushing forward. We didn't want to fall back. We didn't want to get stale. We want to keep getting better, and we will."
Indian Creek returns to action at Oak Glen on Sept. 4.
"It (the schedule) is a pretty good mix," Emley said. "We see a couple of rivals several times during the year.
"We have seven games in the first three weeks. So, that makes it a little tough, because it only leaves us with four practices, but I think they will come along."
Emley said there have been adjustments in his first year.
"Yeah, I think so, but I think they are pretty much used to me though," he stated. "They have been around me for a couple of months now. So, I think they are used to me. They are starting to understand what they need to expect from themselves now. They know what to expect from me. Now, they have to expect it from themselves."
"I have not been a head coach, but I have been an assistant on several different teams and such and I have been a referee. So, I have been around the sport for a long time. I have gotten to see both sides of it. It will come. It will get there.
"It is fun. I am enjoying it. I couldn't ask for a better bunch of ladies. They work hard, and they will find it in themselves.
"They are a team that has struggled over the years. So, they have just got to get used to winning, and they will. There have been no surprises, nothing I wasn't anticipating. So, it is all pretty straight forward.
"I have had kids play soccer at Indian Creek, and it is a good program and I think it needs to grow. Hopefully, that is where we take it."
Justin McClure, Lindy Hilty and Roger Hilty are the assistant coaches. Linda Hilty is a former head coach of the team. Emley said he has a very good group of assistant coaches.
"I don't care whatever you do, if you want any success, you surround yourself with good people, and that is what I have got," he said.
(Petchal can be contacted at apetchal@heraldstaronline.com)
