Club soccer programs kick off fall seasons

Home Sports Club soccer programs kick off fall seasons
Club soccer programs kick off fall seasons

The Hillsdale club soccer teams started training hard this week, in order to prepare for the upcoming season.

Senior Max Smith said he thinks this year’s team could be the best of the four he has played on, and even predicted a playoff appearance.

“My first year was amazing. It was a great team and we made it to the finals, but lost in a shootout. We haven’t made the playoffs since,” Smith said. “The incoming freshman class we have this year is the best we’ve had in all four years; they’ve got a great feel for game.”

Eleven freshmen came out to the men’s team’s tryouts last week, and six made the final 20-man roster. According to Smith, the majority of the team played club and varsity soccer in high school prior to joining the Hillsdale team.

On the women’s side, club president senior Maria Grinis said there is a lot of talent on the team, despite finding themselves in a bit of a rebuilding phase.

Some of the women, including Grinis, could’ve played varsity soccer at another school, but chose Hillsdale for the academics, she said.

The men’s team plays in the Midwest Alliance Soccer Conference, which requires them to travel up to two hours away to Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan. For both teams, the University of Michigan’s club team is considered the best team on the schedule. Smith said they see Michigan as a rival ever since losing to them in the finals three years ago.

The women’s team travels a bit more, making it all the way to Chicago last year. According to Grinis, they travel to Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.

Both teams are run by their respective executive boards, which take care of the administrative side of the teams.

The teams take pride in being a competitive club sport, according to Smith.

“We always make sure everyone’s on time and in shape. We do a lot of sprints and runs outside of practice,” Smith said. “The only way to compete in the league we’re in is if everyone is as serious as possible.”

Smith and Grinis said their seasons start out on the more formal end of the spectrum, but as the season advances, everyone is able to settle in and become comfortable with each other.

“We’re like a family by the end of the season, because of all the time spent traveling and practicing together,” sophomore Lucy Meckler said.

The men’s team practices three days a week. The women’s team practices twice a week for two hours, but does additional training, such as bootcamp, and yoga.

The teams are off-season in the spring, but the usually hold a few scrimmages. While it’s required for the men’s team and not for the women’s, all of the members on both teams play because they want to see their teammates and are looking to get back to playing soccer, according to Meckler.

“We play first and foremost for the love of the game,” Grinis said. “But it’s also a great way to stay in shape.”

The goal, according to Smith, is to make soccer a varsity sport at Hillsdale once again. There are currently some financial obstacles, but it’s always been the dream for the captains.

“We’ve grown a lot in the four years we’ve been here and the ultimate goal is varsity,” Grinis said. “I think it’s attainable. I don’t know how soon in the future, but I definitely think it’s possible.”

The first men’s home game is against Wayne State on Sept. 16, at 1 p.m. The women’s first home game is on Sept. 23, at 10 a.m. against Michigan state.

“Nothing gets us more pumped up than when our Hillsdale fans show up in the stands,” Grinis said.