Middleboro varsity boys soccer squad fosters ‘togetherness’ through first half of season

MIDDLEBORO — After a tough match to start the season off, the Middleboro High School Boys Varsity soccer team has been on an upward trend of positive gameday performances.

Head Coach Ryan Moniz said the 1 - 1 Friday match against Fairhaven High School marked the team’s half-way point for the season. He said this year’s squad is finding a new focus and sense of togetherness through their 10 game-day performances to date.

Since the first game of the season, a 0 - 8 loss to Joseph Case High School, Moniz said the team has worked together to find the winning path forward. Since that game, the team hasn’t lost a single match. He said open discussion between coaches and players has helped build their winning strategy.

Before the Friday game, Nemasket Week Today Editor Sam Tucker spoke with Moniz on what the team will focus on as they enter the latter half of the season. 

Now halfway into the season, what is the overall feeling of the team this year? 

Moniz: I would say togetherness. Right now, there is more of that feeling than there's ever been.

There’s cohesion from the senior class down to the freshman class. They're really sticking together, and it’s all a credit to them. Obviously, us coaches try to build that shell for them to grow into, and pass that message — but I think players are starting to see how much they can accomplish when they feel together.

What have been some challenges the squad is seeing this year, and how are you working to overcome them?

Moniz: Some of our challenges from a playing standpoint is finishing. There can often be a sense of nervousness, such as when they're arriving into the box and are trying to get off a shot. 

We’re really just trying to give them the confidence to continue on, let the shots go and not even think about it. We want to give them that freedom to be creative, and not overthink things. I feel like once that happens, “the dam” kind of breaks and eventually the goals will flow in. 

It's not the lack of creating chances, it's more of finishing them in the moment.

How have you seen both players’ individual skills and the team’s cohesion develop through the season?

Moniz: There's been a lot of great individual progression on the field. They're very comfortable with the system we're running. In their first couple weeks, we didn’t want to overload them with information. As coaches, we want them to be as comfortable as possible and give players that consistency. We're now at a place where we can introduce a new system and a new style of play. 

We've done that in the last few weeks. We're starting to create a lot more chances on goal now, and confidence is starting to build. 

After the first game, we all took a little walk and talked. I'm not giving myself any credit — because this is all on the players — but I think that conversation is what really started the team’s sense of togetherness. I gave my feedback to them, and I invited their feedback. We're  in a place with the younger generation where they need to be heard. We have to collaborate more and adapt together. 

We probably had a 45-minute talk on what happened in that game, both individually for players and also taking some blame as coaches. Me and my assistant took that feedback in and asked, “what can we do better to support you?” 

Honestly, since then — as you can see in our results — things have been going really well.

We're going on eight games unbeaten. We rattled off three wins in a row, and then we kind of went on this tying spree. We’ve had a couple injuries here and there, but the kids are stepping up. 

After that game, that talk kind of brought the entire group together.

What do you see in the squad this year that might differ from previous rosters?

Moniz: I think trust — that belief in one another — has been a little bit different than previous years. I really feel like we're doing a great job of trusting the person to the side of you. With soccer, there's 11 people out there. It can't be one or two of us trusting each other. I think there's a lot of trust across the team in people knowing their roles and doing their job effectively. 

We've had injuries over the last few weeks, and guys have stepped up because they know that expectation. Players are really trusting those teammates who are stepping-up into the lineup.

There's also a new sense of focus. Since that first game and we had that big discussion, I've sensed a strong focus with this group. Right now, they feel confident going into each game, which is also a difference from years past. There's that sense of belief now.

To find the team schedule, visit the Middleboro High School calendar on the Arbiter website.