Appalachian State men's club soccer team now has 58 official members looking forward to its best season yet. Photo by Adam Dixon

by RANDI KITTS
Intern Sports Reporter

When it comes to footwork, the soccer ball won’t be the only thing the Appalachian State men’s club soccer team strives to kick this season as they attempt to boot their previous reputation as well.

“The men’s soccer club was considered a joke for awhile,” club president and senior Spanish education major Zachary T. Vaughan said. “Our goal this year was to re-establish one that is fun, competitive and could no longer be considered a joke in the eyes of anyone.”

The club’s season ended prematurely last year due to improper management and lack of dedication among its members.

“We lost our full game schedule because of some organizational issues and a lack of player interest,” Vaughan said. “But this year we had 80 guys show up to play the first day.”

The team, which now boasts 58 official members, is divided into two squads, one black and one gold, consisting of 20 set players each, he said.

While both squads lost their season openers in the team’s doubleheader against Wake Forest Saturday, the men say improved player communication will enhance their game.

“We can only go up, once team chemistry is formed and our players get to know one another’s skills and not just who the other one is,” Vaughan said.

The men say their rigorous practice schedule should offer this opportunity and then some.

“We practice Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8-10 at night, and we’re offering a running day on Fridays as well,” Phillip S. Langenberg, junior physical education manager and club vice president said.

Langenberg, head of the team’s warm-ups and physical training, said the team typically runs about 3 miles every practice.

“We generally start with 30 minutes of dynamic stretching, doing some basic workouts involving jumping jacks, group push-ups and abs work, followed by drills, scrimmaging and a final 20 minute stretch,” he said.

The men said the physical demands of practice and its hefty time requirement pays off.

“Our strong points from Saturday’s game were definitely consistency and the advantages of being in shape,” senior history and criminal justice major Teddy T. Thomas said.

Thomas has played club soccer throughout his collegiate career at Appalachian, and said this practice schedule is all he knows.

“It’s nice to come back from class and just hang out and play soccer,” he said. “I do it because I enjoy the sport, but you definitely have to be committed to it this year.”

The team has quite a season ahead of them, Vaughan said.

“We’ve got as competitive of a schedule as it gets this year,” he said. “We take on UNC- Charlotte’s Division II varsity reserve team this Sunday at home at State Farm Fields.”

All in all, last year was a transformational period for men’s club soccer, which allowed the team to rebuild and revitalize its structure, Langenberg said.

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