Greater Lawrence soccer goes co-ed
Reggies recruit 8 girls to join boys
In the fall of 2019, the Greater Lawrence Tech girls soccer program seemed to have turned a corner in its development.
The Reggies qualified for the MIAA Division 3 North tournament and hosted an opening round game. After bowing to North Reading, Greater Lawrence finished at 11-5-3, the best record in the program’s nine year history.
Then came 2020, with a series of unfortunate events preventing the 10th season from happening.
The head coach, Kelsey Cartwright, and the rest of the coaching staff elected not to return for various reasons. The season was moved from the traditional fall to the MIAA’s “Fall II” season because Greater Lawrence did not play sports in the fall and winter, and there were not enough girls who signed up to play for the team this season.
There were, however, still some girls who still wanted to play soccer. They just needed a team.
Greater Lawrence athletic director Mike Nelson and boys soccer coach Thomas Ringler had an idea.
“Thomas and assistant coach Chris Cyr asked if we could have a co-ed team,” Nelson said. “We talked to our administration, the parents, the other ADs in the league (Commonwealth Athletic Conference) and the MIAA and we decided to do it. It’s awesome that the coaching staff made it happen.”
Ringler, in his second year in charge of the Reggies’ boys program, pointed out, “We practiced on the same field so I watched them sometimes. They were very competitive. They knew technique and skill and understood the game.”
This season, the Reggies’ roster includes eight girls and 17 boys.
While co-ed soccer is not common at the high school level, many youth programs have boys and girls playing together at younger levels. Before high school girls soccer became popular in the 1980s, boys teams were the only option at some high schools for a girl who wanted to play. In Germany, where Ringler was born and raised, boys and girls played together until they were 14.
“When the German women’s team won the World Cup (in 2003 and 2007), they said ‘Thank you, boys,’” Ringler said.
The girls on the Greater Lawrence roster are also grateful for the chance to play on the boys team this season.
“I’m a three-sport athlete,” said senior defender Brianna Candelario, who has also been a member of the school’s indoor and outdoor track teams. “I’m glad I have the chance to play. The guys have been open-minded about it.”
Depending on how many players are available for a game, Ringler tries to keep three or four girls on the field at all times.
“With COVID, we wanted to keep the emphasis on giving the kids a chance to play,” Nelson said. “We’re not as worried about wins and losses. There’s no state tournament and no state vocational tournament.”
Some of the modifications that the MIAA put in place for soccer this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced the amount of contact and made it more feasible for a co-ed team to play the game.
“Absolutely, it’s less physical,” Ringler said. “The boys are bigger and stronger so it does help.”
The girls have a different approach to the game and it has complemented the boys’ style of play.
“There are some things that they do well that we don’t,” said Jeffrey Taveras, a junior wing and defender. “There are things that we do well that they don’t. The team is a lot more diverse now.”
Said sophomore central back Joseph Mastro, “They’re a lot more positive. They bring a lot of energy.”
Added junior goalkeeper and outside defender Jonathan Morataya, “They bring a lot of enthusiasm and that has helped us.”
The girls have had to make adjustments, both to their games and to different coaching methods.
“It’s a challenge,” said sophomore midfielder Briana Aguinaga. “On the girls team, we spent a lot of time on conditioning. Here, we’re focusing more on passing and technique.”
As of Wednesday, the Reggies have played three games and have lost all three. After not playing in the fall, many players are still working off some rust.
“Going 18 months without soccer is tough,” said junior defender and goalie Brendan Shapiro. “It’s taking some time to get back into shape.”
The coaching staff ’s main goal is to see the team continue to improve and to make sure everyone has the best experience possible.
“We’re committing to having a growth mindset,” Ringler said. “The kids keep coming back and they never give up, which is what I really like about this team.”