The 2011 Graceland University Men's Soccer team enters the season with hopes of continuing to build upon a 2010 season in which the team finished the regular season with a 5-3-1 record in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) and a heartbreaking loss in the quarterfinals of the conference playoffs.
At this time one year ago, expectations were moderate at best, having lost a head coach and graduating 12 seniors including much of the previous year's starting lineup. The new coaching staff knew that we would have to rely upon talented but young players to carry Graceland's tradition of excellence forward into the future of the program. To top it off, Graceland was facing a slate of opponents that ranked their schedule (out of more than 200 teams) as one of the top ten most difficult schedules in the nation.
But hope springs eternal. The departure of so many seniors paved the way for several returning players to prove their worth and allowed a strong class of freshmen the opportunity to gain valuable experience. And by the end of the season, despite the adversity that was faced throughout the year, the team was playing at a very high level and with a tremendous amount of confidence.
Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant. ~Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus)
During the spring of 2010, head coach Guillermo Sanchez placed an emphasis on team chemistry and organization. Building on the strong finish to the fall season, the Yellowjacket Team was able to continue their momentum against some strong opponents with very positive results (winning both spring tournaments that they participated in). This team that was considered extremely young and inexperienced at the beginning of the year had grown together and become battle tested.
Fast forward to present day. The future is now. That experience should pay big dividends this season. With a strong core of returning players, only a few key additions were necessary for the 2011 team. Coach Sanchez is extremely excited about this team. The schedule is once again filled with high level opponents. But now, with a healthy combination of talent, chemistry and experience this team is ready for all of the challenges that lie ahead.
