The boys’ soccer team is off to a good varsity start to the 2021-22 season by kicking off to a 3-2 start, as of Nov. 29. As the season continues, the team hopes to advance as far as possible into the postseason due to their raised chemistry and talent this year.

In order to prepare for the season, the team held captains practices before the season could officially get underway with Head Coach Kris Steeves present. Players have found those practices to be beneficial. “It felt good to get back in the swing of things. It gave us extra touches to be more prepared for the season. The practices helped develop good chemistry early on and before the season officially began,” junior Luke Egizio said.

Coach Steeves is now in his second year with the team. His first year took place during a shortened, altered COVID-19 season, so not only will he be more familiar with the team itself this year but the season should be more steady.

The familiarity with the team and Benjamin’s athletic department is the most significant part about being a second year head coach, according to Coach Steeves. “As a first year head coach and having not worked with high school aged boys for a couple of years, it was a pretty steep learning curve for me. I also wasn’t too sure what I’d be working with in terms of the athletic department and the players themselves. This year, I came in ready with clear goals and expectations which helps pull everybody in the same direction,” he said.

He explains that one of his “clear goals and expectations” for the team is to make regionals. He admits that this will be a tough task, but it is certainly one that the team looks forward to and one that can be accomplished.

Additionally, players have found that the continuity of a second year head coach has been beneficial for
the team because players are able to understand their coach better. “It’s good to play under the same coach because we understand his expectations for us and his playstyle,” Egizio said. “He expects us to develop as complete, all-around players and to always put in maximum effort. He holds us to a high level of discipline that the entire team executes because we know what he wants out of us.”

Improvement from the prior season is always something that every team seeks to do. In this case, that has happened with the Bucs. Not only did the team’s talent increase but the chemistry did as well.

“We got older, more confident, and our trust in one another has elevated to new heights,” senior Max Gelinas said. Reiterating his star player’s point, Coach Steeves feels that the team has “bought in more this year”.

Ultimately, what will bring the Bucs to reach their goal of making regionals is the team’s biggest strength, and according to Gelinas, that is their desire.