The girls soccer team at Fountain Hills High School is playing this season. Just a few weeks ago, the team had no coach and only 11 interested students. Now the Falcons have a coach and are up to 15 players.

Nick Goodman saw the open position for girls soccer earlier this Fall, and he floated the idea to his cross country team to see if he’d had any familiar faces. Three of his five female runners said yes, so Goodman followed through and became the girls soccer coach.

The last time Goodman coached soccer was in 1996, before any of his students were born. According to him, about half of the team is brand new to the sport. Goodman knows he’ll have to coach his new team slightly different than his track or cross country teams, but his approach is the same.

“My role as a coach is to be an educator,” Goodman said. “Teach them the skills, how to handle the ball, how to work as a team, be a good citizen, all that is involved to motivate them.”

The Falcons’ season ended in the first round of playoffs last year when they lost 2-1 to American Leadership Academy – Gilbert North. The Falcons start the 2021-22 season by hosting Gilbert North on Dec. 2.

Goodman said that his veterans will want some redemption to start the season. The Falcons had 11 region award winners last year, and six returned this year: Kambria Van Orden, Hailey Chandler, Jenya Boone, Jordan Pena, Olivia Sopeland and Stella Grieco.

The veterans understand that they aren’t the same team as last year, and Goodman said they are grateful to be playing. Since Goodman is still learning many of his new players’ skills and personalities, he doesn’t have many expectations yet for the season.

“A winning record would be great,” Goodman said. “I want these girls to have a good time, learn some good skills and enjoy the season.”

Cassandra Rodgers, one of the middle school counselors, is acting as an assistant coach this season. Goodman said that Rodgers was already a big help since the girls can relate to her better and talk on a personal level.

The three cross country runners that joined the soccer team are all sophomores. Skye Alker and Eliana Bartman are new to the sport, but Erin Hooley played part of the soccer season last year. Hooley didn’t finish the season, but Goodman views her as a veteran. Those three will make an impact this year, as Goodman knows all three of them already, and they’re in great shape from the cross country season.

Goodman will also use soccer as a way to recruit and condition his runners on the track and cross country teams. He knows many of his players don’t want to do a running sport, and Goodman’s perfectly okay with that. He knows that his players will probably run three miles during a soccer game, but he doesn’t intend to train them like a track or cross country team.

“[Soccer] is a totally different platform,” Goodman said. “But the philosophy is the same. It’s preparing them for a contest.”

Goodman will spend the majority of the preseason teaching basic skills and improving ball and foot work.

A largely new team with a new coach will probably experience growing pains, but Goodman hopes that he’ll get the team settled in and playing well despite that challenge.