Sparks ‘excited’ for 2017 version of Panthers
The last few years have seen Tim Sparks stressing fundamentals as the head coach of the Ridgeland Panthers’ soccer team.
However, Sparks said he’s been able to take a different approach this year and it’s one that has him excited. “We’re still going to be super young, but this year I think we more guys that play soccer, maybe not year-round, but at least more than just the high school level,” he said. “We can spend time now doing tactical stuff and not just technical stuff. It makes practices fun because we aren’t just doing drills all day long. The kids are excited and I’m excited.”
Sparks and assistant coach Bo Tinney will be relying on the leadership of five seniors during the 2017 season.
Kolston Byrd will be in goal for the second straight year. Sparks sais that Byrd’s technique, hands and footwork have gotten better since last season and that he is hoping for plenty of “clean sheets” from his keeper.
The technicallysound Christian Crumble will speed and aggressiveness to the all important centermidfield position. He will be counted on to distribute the ball and make plays around the goal. Up front, Brandon Hair will get his chance to shine at forward and Sparks says he hopes Hair will “take the reigns” and be a big-time scorer for the Panthers.
The final two seniors are Dalton Shields and Brian Crouser. Shields played for Sparks and the Panthers as a freshman before transferring. However, he is back and ready to give Ridgeland a tenacious defender on the back row. Crouser, a former baseball player, is giving soccer a try this season and Sparks said his rawness on the field has been made up for by his willingness to learn and absorb the game.
Among the other players that Sparks will be counting on this spring are Oliver “Ollie” Holden on the back row and Joe Reeves at a wing spot. Additional names to know include Bode Tucker, Myers Tucker, Angel Ojeda, Juan Valazquez, Jacob Keaton and Conner Middleton.
“There’s about 14 or 15 guys I’m really excited about,” Sparks added. “I’m not sure if that translates into wins, but it translates into a lot of fun and a competitive game and that’s what I want. I want us to be competitive and, hopefully, we’ll get the results we want. We can control only what we can control, which is being excited at practice and putting the ball in the net on game days.”