The crowd of students cheered as Carter Scheel ran towards the crowd, hyping them up. The sophomore forward had just scored his 4th goal of the season putting Loy Norrix on top of their match with Niles, 2-1.
The Knights would go on to defeat Niles 7-1, with 6 different players scoring goals. Games with such a large margin in the score have been few and far between for Norrix over recent years.
In 2016, the Knights finished with a win-loss record of 2-15. After that rough season, the Knights returned ready to step up their game. The team was able to increase their win total from 2 in 2016 to 8 in 2017. The dramatic increase in wins coupled with the influx of returning talent meant the Knights ended with excitement for the 2018 season. Expectations rose once again when Loy Norrix hired new coach Scott Forrester.
Forrester has put together a top notch coaching resume in his years at the helm of various programs. He came to Loy Norrix from Dexter High School, located just outside Ann Arbor. Forrester coached both the boys and girls teams with a high level of success. Forrester has come to Loy Norrix with both district and regional titles, as well as a state championship.
While his high school coaching experience speaks for itself, Coach Forrester also comes to Loy Norrix with college coaching experience. He currently sits second on Kalamazoo College women’s soccer wins list, and is third in winning percentage. He has also coached at the University of Michigan, one of the best soccer schools in the nation.
One might see Forrester’s resume and ask themselves what Forrester is doing coaching at Loy Norrix with his plethora of experience. The answer has a lot do with who he is as a person and coach.
“I used to work in the school district before, so this is like coming home for me,” said Forrester.
Forrester wants to bring back a winning culture to the program, “I wanted to come to re-establish a winning mentality. I want to develop young men as soccer players that will use these life experiences as a foundation to build their future,” said Forrester
The team is buying into his vision as they work to elevate the program to new heights.
As players, transitioning to a new coach changes the whole program. Often it involves a change in culture, a coach’s philosophy and in expectations. Senior Caleb Gonzales has been playing soccer all his life. Gonzales, a three-year Varsity soccer player, believes that Forrester has done a good job of building the team.
“He makes use of our strengths by putting us in positions best suited for our playstyle,” said Gonzales.
Forrester’s coaching style has changed the way the Knights play by using new formations and tactics. Sophomore Carter Scheel was an all-conference selection last year, and he is one of many players whose role has changed with the new coach.
“Last year I played winger, now I’ve moved further up the field to striker,” said Scheel.
So far the change has been a success, with Scheel leading the team in goals.
Coach Forrester has brought a new style and new ideas to Loy Norrix. The players are beginning to buy in and work towards a goal of taking the program to new heights. While it is still early in the season, the Knights have demonstrated early flashes of potential with a big win over Niles and a 3-2 loss to the #2 team in the state, Portage Central. Forrester has the Knights ready for a big year, one that could see them with one of the school’s best seasons.
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Going for Gold: Loy Norrix Soccer Looks For a Record Breaking Season
October 5, 2018
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About the Contributor
Nate Goodwin-Kelly, Opinion Editor/Knights Speak Team
Opinion Editor & Staff Writer for Knight Life.
