The women’s club soccer team will make school history this weekend as they compete in the conference playoff tournament for the first time ever.
But their journey to reach that milestone has been a long one.
Club president senior Lydia Barrows said that from their founding in 2010 to the end of last season, the team had won a total of four games, all of which came in the last three years. In 2016, the club joined the Women’s Midwest Collegiate Club Soccer League, and managed to scrape together their first two wins in the fall of 2019.
“We then lost the 2020 season due to COVID, and we only had 13 girls on the team in 2021,” Barrows said. “2022 was really a huge leap forward.”
That leap forward started with the hiring of new coach and Director of Career Services Ken Koopmans in the spring. His passion and love for the game was clear to the entire club board from the first interview, according to Barrows.
“That’s translated onto the field, and his willingness to pour his time and effort into the team has really earned our respect,” Barrows said.
Freshman Miriam Ritchey said the team would not have accomplished what it has without him.
“Even though it was his first year coaching, he definitely came in with a lot of energy and ideas,” Ritchey said. “His enthusiasm has helped our team reach its full potential.”
Ritchey is one of the 11 freshmen who made this year’s leap forward possible, as the club almost doubled in size compared to last fall. With so many new faces, it took a week or two for the team dynamic to take shape.
“It wasn’t long before I realized we have an extremely hard-working group of players who are committed to getting better,” Koopmans said.
The team practices three days a week, with games on the weekend, and when Koopmans can’t make a practice, the captains run it for him.
For freshman Sophia Schlegel, that determination to compete at a high level has helped shape the team culture.
“We’ve really grown, both in our relationships, with each other, and in our skills on the field,” Schlegel said.
This growth has made its presence felt in the wins column, as the team compiled a 6-3-1 record this season. For those of you keeping track at home, that means the club won more games this year than the last 11 years combined.
Ritchey attributed much of this unprecedented success to the club’s leadership, both from President Barrows and Vice President senior Cate Kelley.
“Lydia and Cate have been such role models in addition to being leaders on the field,” Ritchey said. “Lydia especially has gone out of her way to be available for the many freshmen, and we will really miss them next year.”
Koopmans said this season can really change what students associate with the club.
“Because we are now building this winning foundation, there are going to be students here who say ‘I want to be a part of a successful program,’” Koopmans said. “They can help to fill the holes left by graduating seniors.”
For now, the club is focused on preparing for Sunday as they take on University of Michigan in the first round. While the matchup is not a favorable one, freshman Moira Gleason is confident.
“They’re just a bigger name with a deeper bench, but we are the stronger team,” Gleason said. “If we really believe in ourselves and play our best game, we can win.”
