Sisler wants to build, not trailblaze, at Harvey

In a perfect world, it really wouldn’t be a big deal. Natalie Sisler is like many soccer head coaches across this area. She has a vision for her side tactically and wants to build a program.

Understandably, she prefers it that way. But one part of Sisler’s journey to being a high school soccer head coach at Harvey is unique:

Sisler is a female coach guiding a boys soccer side.

After a 2-0 loss to Riverside in the Battle of Painesville on Sept. 8 and a 4-2 loss to West Geauga on Sept. 10, the Red Raiders are 4-4 under Sisler’s tutelage.

While her perch is noteworthy, she doesn’t regard herself as a trailblazer.

“Not really,” Sisler said. “I don’t know — I like to coach. When I got the position four years ago at (Heritage Middle School) for the boys — generally, I like coaching boys just because there’s a little less drama involved. It’s just the way it worked out.

“I don’t really feel like a trailblazer at all or anything.

Hopefully if it works out and I’m winning more, it gets out there maybe more, women will start coaching for boys and they’ll be open for it.”

The fact Sisler is leading a boys soccer side doesn’t come without precedent in area soccer. Sue Blabolil coached the Madison boys in 2012. In addition, in cross country, swimming and track and field, female coaches guiding boys teams has been common.

What drives Sisler more is delivering a turnaround campaign at Harvey and building some momentum.

In 2017, the Red Raiders endured a 3-12-1 season. With a rout of John Hay on Aug. 30, they surpassed their win total for all of last year.

“It’s tough,” Sisler said. “A lot of them have a big losing mentality from last year that we’ve kind of got to get away from. We talked about it with them in the locker room (after the Riverside loss), because some of them — I don’t know, they don’t hate losing yet.

“So we’ve got to get them there where they hate losing more than they love winning. And once we’re there, I think we’ll be all right.”

Sisler believes when Harvey does get there, it will be something special.

The boys soccer program there is not even 20 years old yet and has had its moments. This fall, the Red Raiders topped Hawken, 4-1, on Aug. 21. That result over a perennial CVC Chagrin and area and traditional state power makes a

strong case for being Harvey’s biggest regular-season win ever in boys soccer, along with a 1-0 stunner of Chagrin Falls in 2016.

Four wins over Riverside since 2009 has also been a sign of encouragement.

The side has had some standout performers in recent years, including striker Jose Pacheco, center back Cristian Moreno and goalkeeper Isaac Soto.

Against the Beavers, the Red Raiders had five freshmen and sophomores in their starting 11. The side is paced by senior Jalen Allen, the area’s leading scorer in the early going with 14 goals and six assists in eight matches. Allen can operate effectively as a central midfielder or up top.

Sisler feels confident, with the proper time and

resource investment, Harvey is capable of producing a strong side year to year from a diverse Painesville community that embraces the sport at its grassroots.

“I’m hoping that’s what I’m getting into,” Sisler said. “Most of them I’ve had at the middle-school level for the four years. I just feel like we’re working on building it up to the program that I think it can be. It wasn’t always losing so many games in a season. There were a lot of good past seasons.

“But I think we can get there. I think soccer for Painesville is going to be what takes it to the next level. And I think that’s going to be the thing that’s going to take it to state eventually. We’ve just got to build the program up.”

Sisler