Tag nebraska soccer talk

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the season, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which are meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

Andre Watts

Name of High School Program: Papillion LaVista Monarchs Boys  (11th year)

 Club Team: Gretna Elite Academy Girls 2013 assistant

Occupation Outside of Coaching: Elementary Art Teacher Portal and Golden Hills Elem

Favorite Professional Soccer Team: Liverpool

Soccer Idol (Player or Coach): Brazilian Ronaldo

Who would you consider to be your soccer mentor? What is the story behind your selection? How did they help you in your soccer journey?

Jay Mims-Union Omaha-Back when he was with Creighton we played on several indoor and outdoor teams together and have always just talked soccer.  When he was at UNO I was able to attend practices and training sessions.  Over the years, he has always been someone willing to share ideas with young coaches.  He even provided a free leadership seminar over the Covid break in 2020. Jay has gone out of his way to include me in some amazing soccer experiences.

Describe a favorite soccer memory that you have been involved with. This memory could be from your playing or coaching experiences. Tell us the story and impact of this memory.

Getting to the state semifinal in 2019 a year after we had only won 4 total games in the previous season.  You start to question if what you are doing is reaching the student-athletes and then something like this run we went on validates everything and provided memories that will last a lifetime.

List and describe three important pillars or values of your program. What is the culture of your program built on? What do they mean to you? 

-Quality-Family, School, and Soccer

-Giving Back-Community

-Enjoy the Process as success comes in many forms.

I try to provide a variety of opportunities for my players to grow as individuals within their family, school, and team.  We feel that giving back is important as all of the people came before them provided the opportunities that they now take part in. The experience should be a fun one…don’t get so caught up in outcomes as much as enjoying each soccer opportunity and time with the team while learning how to play the game.

What is your motivation for coaching? This is a time-consuming and challenging occupation. Why do you do it? 

I guess it’s all tied to that idea of giving back. So many people in my younger years provided quality coaching to me and it’s my turn to pay it forward.  The relationships you build with your players are what keep me in the coaching world. I now have a few former players who are getting into coaching themselves and being a mentor to them is very rewarding.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast.

Chace Hutchison

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the season, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which are meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

Zack Wayman

Name of High School Program: Columbus High Girls Soccer

Occupation Outside of Coaching: High School Social Studies Teacher

Favorite Professional Soccer Team: Arsenal

Favorite Soccer Coach: Jurgen Klopp

Favorite Soccer Player: Christian Pulisic

Who would you consider to be your soccer mentor? What is the story behind your selection? How did they help you in your soccer journey? 

Have a few, starts with my high school coaches; Scott Steinbrook and Robert Mishou at Kearney High School during my playing days, they were the first to get me on the path to coaching. Then it was Matt Bice, former Nebraska ODP director, and former coach of Nebraska United Club team. It was him who taught me how to teach the game and connect to players. Finally Jess McHargue, Lexington Boys High School coach, an old club coach during my days in Kearney and my boss at Lexington while I was his assistant for two years (State Semi-finalists class B 2019). He taught me a lot about setting the standards and building a program from the ground up, he allowed me to grow and prepare for where I am now. For all of these coaches I am extremely grateful. Special shout out to Mike Doria, former head coach at Millard West (boys) for letting me volunteer coach to the State Semi-finals when I student taught (Spring 2017).

Describe a favorite soccer memory that you have been involved with. This memory could be from your playing or coaching experiences. Tell us the story and impact of this memory.

First as a player for Kearney High School, came back down two goals in the second half against Millard West in the State quarterfinals (2013) to win in a PK shootout. We won 3-0 making all three of our first shots (I shot 2nd) and our GK, Quincy Bennet, blocked all three of Millard West’s shots (never seen it in my life). What made that so sweet is Millard West was the only loss we suffered in the regular season (besides a District final loss, we got in on Wildcard) and we only had 3 returning players for that season (a lot of people counting us out).

Coaching memory: Coming back from 1 goal down to win in OT with Lexington Boys Soccer in 2019 against Omaha Roncalli in State Quarterfinals. We had such a young team with great potential and it was such an emotional and positive experience to know how hard those players had worked and dedicated themselves and were rewarded for their efforts. Now many of those players are Juniors and Seniors trying to win state with Lexington in Class B (definitely a team to watch out for).

List and describe three important pillars or values of your program. What is the culture of your program built on? What do they mean to you? 

Connect – be positive in our communication with each other in verbal and body language, be attentive listeners with our coaches and teammates.
Commit – putting others and the team goals ahead of your own. What role can you fulfill to help the team find success. Do the little things that no one sees so we can accomplish the big things when everyone is watching.
Care – When you care about someone or something you are willing to put it all on the line for them. Only when we first connect and commit to each other, can we then care for each other. When you care you are willing to sacrifice and suffer for your teammates, not just in running open for a pass or spacing or defensive backtracking but taking care of grades in the classroom, doing the little things right to maintain character standards, etc.
The biggest thing I want players to strive for is “leave the place better than you found it”, not just our team buses, or locker rooms or sidelines, but when players leave the program they left it in a better place and left a lasting legacy for the program to build upon. That is my biggest focus on our culture.

What is your motivation for coaching? This is a time-consuming and challenging occupation. Why do you do it? 

To give players information I wish I would have known to be as successful on the field as possible. Secondly to teach them life lessons so that players are able find success in their own ways and leave their own legacy before pursuing their next goals in their life.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast.

Chace Hutchison

The Summit League Women’s Soccer Championship kicks off with the semifinal games on Thursday, April 15th, and the championship game on the 17th.  The tournament is being played at Caniglia Field on the campus of University of Nebraska Omaha.  The first game (2 PM Kickoff) features the top seed University of Denver taking on the 4th seed University of South Dakota, and the second game (5 PM kickoff) features the hosts Omaha and the 2nd seed South Dakota State University.  This article will preview the tournament, the teams, and the match ups as we have an exciting week of soccer ahead of us.

The Tournament

While the Summit League may not be the toughest league when it comes to overall RPI, it’s tournament is one of the toughest postseason tournaments to qualify for.  Unlike most other Division I conferences, only 4 teams of the 9 make the Summit League conference tournament.  This differs greatly from other similar Division I mid-major conferences (see below for non-COVID year comparison).  The separation between the squads and the type of soccer that is played in the conference makes it a battle every year to make the tournament.  Personally, I think the Summit League Conference needs to consider bumping up the total number of teams to 6.  The winner of the conference tournament gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, it is unlikely but the Summit League may get two teams in, thanks in part to Denver and South Dakota State’s high RPI.

Conference Tournaments (non-COVID years)

The Teams

#1 University of Denver

Record: 14-2-1 Overall, 14-1-1 Conference

RPI: 39

Coach: Jeff Hooker (29th Season)

Nebraska Players: 

• None

Key Players:

• Natalie Beckman, junior forward from Denver, CO, has tallied 10 goals and 12 assists for a total of 32 points.  She leads the Summit League in all three categories, and is probably the Summit League Offensive Player of the Year.
• Taylor Parker, senior defender from Aurora, CO, has started and played in 15 games this Spring for the Pioneers.  Twice earning defensive player of the week honors, the 2019 Summit League First Teamer, is a leader and an important piece in Denver’s defense.

Outlook:

Denver is a really talented team and they have put together a really solid season, and they are deservedly receiving national attention for it.  With that said, they are not out of reach of the rest of the tournament field.  Both Omaha and South Dakota played to close 1 goal losses, with South Dakota taking Denver to overtime.  South Dakota State is the only conference team to put a notch in Denver’s “loss” column, the Jacks also tied Denver on that weekend.  Denver is also coming off a road trip to Kansas City last weekend, and it is a quick turnaround to travel again and play on Thursday.  While I fully expect the Pioneers to be in the championship game, don’t be surprised if they leave Omaha empty-handed and disappointed.

#2 South Dakota State University

Record: 12-0-4 Overall, 12-0-4 Conference

RPI: 41

Coach: Brock Thompson (4th season)

Nebraska Players:

• Maureen Tolley (Sophomore) – Omaha, NE – Marian / Gretna Soccer Club
• Reagan Anderson (Sophomore) – Omaha, NE – Elkhorn South / Gretna Soccer Club
• Delaney Grant (Sophomore) – Omaha, NE – Millard North / Gretna Soccer Club
• Cecilia Limongi (Junior) – Elkhorn, NE – Elkhorn South / Elite Girls Academy
• Abigail Kastens (Junior) – Lincoln, NE – Waverly / Gretna Soccer Club

Key Players:

• Maya Hansen, sophomore forward from Savage, MN, has tallied 7 goals and 2 assists for a total of 16 points.  Hansen started and played in all 16 matches for the Jacks, and was named Summit League Player of the Week after scoring a hat trick against UMKC.
• Eden Brooker, senior midfielder from Santa Rosa, CA, has tallied 4 goals and 3 assists for a total of 11 points.  Brooker started and played in all 16 matches for the Jacks, and was twice named Summit League Player of the Week.

Outlook:

South Dakota State has quietly put together an excellent season.  No matter the circumstances, going unbeaten in a regular season is an impressive feat.  South Dakota State is the only conference team to get the better of Denver this year, and if it weren’t for the draws against fellow tournament teams South Dakota and Omaha, the Jacks would have been regular season champions and the 1 seed in the tournament.  South Dakota State’s match up against Omaha will be interesting, because the last time they competed was early in the season and the game was indoors which is a significantly different playing environment than what Caniglia will offer.  South Dakota State has solid Nebraska ties with 5 players who all contribute at a certain level, and Coach Brock Thompson is a native of Blair, Nebraska.

#3 Omaha

Record: 8-4-4

RPI: 119

Coach: Tim Walters (4th season)

Nebraska Players:

• Grace Ostergaard (Freshman) – Omaha, NE – Millard West / Elite Girls Academy
• Gracie Parsons (Freshman) – Omaha, NE – Burke / Sporting Omaha
• Grace Crockett (Freshman) – Omaha, NE – Marian / Elite Girls Academy
• Marissa Gohr (Freshman) – Omaha, NE – Elkhorn South / K-State / Elite Girls Academy
• Alyssa Hansen (Freshman) – Lincoln, NE – Pius / Elite Girls Academy
• Carly Cameron (R-Freshman) – Elkhorn, NE – Elkhorn
• Maria Eubanks (R-Freshman) – Lincoln, NE – Lincoln East / Elite Girls Academy
• Grace Thede (R-Freshman) – Omaha, NE – Marian / Sporting Omaha
• Regan Zimmers (R-Freshman) – Omaha, NE – Millard North / Sporting Omaha
• Madeline Smith (Sophomore) – Omaha, NE – Millard South / Lake Tahoe CC / Gretna SC
• Laurin Mertz (Sophomore) – Omaha, NE – Skutt / Gretna Soccer Club
• Mali Seran (R-Sophomore) – Omaha, NE – Marian / Sporting Omaha
• Brylie Meyer (Junior) – Lincoln, NE – Pius / Elite Girls Academy
• Leah Kirchner (Junior) – Omaha, NE – Millard West / Central MO / Elite Girls Academy

Key Players:

• Andrea Daves, senior forward from Denver, CO, has tallied 5 goals and 2 assists on the season for a total of 12 points for the Mavericks.  Daves has provided both goals and leadership for this young Maverick team.
• Margaret Lavigne, junior defender from St. Louis, MO, leads the Mavericks in minutes played and has been an ever present force in the Omaha backline this year.

Outlook:

Omaha was picked eighth in the Summit League preseason poll, and you can go back and see what our preview said about them as well.  The Mavericks have answered the critics and then some, putting together a good regular season together.  The Mavericks badly wanted to make the Summit League tournament, because no one wants to sit out of the tournament, especially as the hosts.  Omaha has achieved that goal, and their next challenge is going to be not settling for just being a part of the tournament.  They went to the final in 2018, and that is definitely possible for them to do again.

#4 University of South Dakota

Record: 9-6-1

RPI: 127

Coach: Michael Thomas (3rd season)

Nebraska Players:

• Maggie Pallesen (Freshman) – Omaha, NE – Marian / Gretna Soccer Club
• Tatum Lundgren (Freshman) – Omaha, NE – Burke / Gretna Soccer Club
• Tiannah Moore (Junior) – Lincoln, NE – Lincoln Northeast / Gretna Soccer Club

Key Players:

• Alexis Mitchell, Senior midfielder from Lee’s Summit, MO, has tallied 7 goals and 4 assists for a total of 18 points.  Mitchell has scored 4 goals and tallied 2 assists in the last 4 games, and she is also the most recent Summit League Player of the Week.
• Abby Ostrem, Senior defender from Wylie, TX, has played and started in all 16 games for the Coyotes.  Ostrem has also tallied 3 assists, and is part of a USD defense that has only conceded 3 goals in the last 7 games.

Outlook:

After dropping a 4-0 decision on March 19th at South Dakota State, the University of South Dakota Coyotes have gone on a run.  They tied South Dakota State in the next game, and have not dropped a point since.  They sealed their place as the fourth seed with a great run of four games, sweeping both North Dakota and North Dakota State and outsourcing their opponents 15-0.  Coach Michael Thomas has done a great job since taking over at University of South Dakota 3 years ago, and he is hopeful that his squad can continue their run of form as they come up against Denver (where he spent 6 seasons as an assistant coach).

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast.

Joe Cleary

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the season, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which are meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

Ian Becerra

Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Gil Becerra & Janet Scott

High School Soccer Team: Lincoln High School, Boys Varsity Team, 4-year starter

Position: Attacking Midfield

Club Team: Hawks FC, 2002 Boys / NFC, 02 Stevenson – 2020 State Champions

Grade: 12th

What is your favorite subject in school? Why? History & Spanish. I have had awesome teachers – shout out to Chris Turley, Andrew Bargen, and Señora Stetson.

What are your future plans? Undecided. I plan to attend college and would like to continue playing soccer, but I’m still considering my options.

Who’s your favorite soccer player and why?

Andres Iniesta or Ronaldinho. I love Iniesta’s style of play and how he can see a play before anyone else and execute it through a perfect pass. I love Ronaldinho’s flair and how much he loves playing; he always has a smile on his face.

Throughout your high school career, you have undoubtedly learned many lessons and matured as a  player. Based on those lessons and experiences, give three pieces of advice to your freshman self.

Stay focused on your goals. There are a lot of distractions, but if you really want something, be willing to work hard for what you want. You never know what you can or can’t do until you try. There is no off-season in soccer. Always play to the whistle.

Who has helped you become the player that you are today? How did they help you? Is there anything you would like to tell them?  

I have a lot of people to thank for helping me be the player that I am today. First, my parents have always pushed me to do better and work hard. My mom has sacrificed not just for me,  but for many other soccer kids. The Gil Becerra program has made all the difference. Chad Carter’s program helped too – he’s definitely taught me about style. Rashad Moxy pushed me to the limit – he made me cry, vomit, and cramp – but he made me better. He taught me to never be satisfied and to focus, not on my strengths, but on improving my weaknesses.

I want to thank all my club coaches since I was 4-yrs-old who have helped to shape my game and my personality. A special thank you to Coach Mike Dean of SOFC and Coach Malcolm Crummy of Hawks. Coach Alex Cerny believed in me and gave me a chance as a freshman. My 7th and 8th-grade cross country coach, Ms. Eastman, inspired my running. She taught me that every race and every game present a lesson to learn. Thank you to the 2006 Hawks team for teaching me about character and leadership. And finally, soccer is a team sport, so I have to thank my teammates on my club and high-school teams – I wouldn’t be the player or the person I am without them. 

Could you see yourself coaching soccer someday? Is that a path that you are interested in following? If so,  why?

Yes, because I’m good at seeing the little things that make a difference. I have mentored and helped coach younger Hawks players and I enjoy seeing their success in high-school. Soccer can be more than a sport, it can have major impact on what opportunities one has and what kind of character one develops. I want to be a part of this sport throughout my life.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast.

Chace Hutchison

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the season, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which are meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

Allison Marshall

Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Brent and Diane Marshall

High School Soccer Team: Gretna Girls Varsity Soccer

Position: Forward

Club Team: Gretna Elite Academy ECNL 06

Grade: Freshman

What is your favorite subject in school? Why? 

My favorite subject in school is math. I like math because I enjoy the challenge of solving new problems every day. I have also had many math teachers that make learning new concepts enjoyable.

What are your goals as an individual player? What are you doing to achieve those goals? 

My goals as an individual player are to get better every time I step on the field and to always give 100% effort. I want to be the best teammate I can be by encouraging others and being positive. To achieve these goals I have to make sure that I am always focused and ready for any challenges that come my way.

What goals do you have for your high school team during the 2021 season and beyond? What do you hope to accomplish as a group throughout your high school career? 

My goals for my high school team during the season is to take one game at a time and improve all throughout the season. Another goal is to never let another team out compete us. We focus on being confident and dealing with failure the right way.

Who’s your favorite soccer player and why?

My favorite soccer player is Alex Morgan because I have watched her ever since I was a little girl. She is a very hard worker and always gives 100% effort every play. It’s also very fun to see her play a game that she loves.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast.

Chace Hutchison

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the season, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which are meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Sara Fjell

Name of High School Program: Bellevue East Girls Varsity Soccer

Occupation Outside of Coaching: Teacher and Instructional Coach for Bellevue East

Favorite Professional Soccer Team: USA Women’s National Team

Soccer Idol (Player or Coach): Mia Hamm and Julie Johnson-Ertz

Who would you consider to be your soccer mentor? What is the story behind your selection? How did they help you in your soccer journey? 

My Dad, my father has always been one of my biggest fans both as a player and a coach. He also would watch the game with me when I was younger and we would talk and discuss the games as we watched. I think this is what would eventually lead to my interest in coaching. I grew up watching and playing a lot of soccer and became very passionate about working with kids as I became a teacher. Also, playing at the collegiate level gave more confidence in my understanding and playing of the game.

Describe a favorite soccer memory that you have been involved with. This memory could be from your playing or coaching experiences. Tell us the story and impact of this memory.

One of my all time favorite soccer memories is when Bellevue East made the state tournament in 2007. It was my first year as head coach, and we were the 3 seed. We upset Burke who was the 2nd seed, and then beat Papio South in a shootout to go to state. It was an unbelievable game and so much fun celebrating with the team afterwards, a great day for Bellevue East Soccer.

List and describe three important pillars or values of your program. What is the culture of your program built on? What do they mean to you? 

Teamwork, Hard work, Commitment 

We strive to always bring our best not only for the improvement of ourselves as players and coaches but also when representing our school. The group I have this season is extra special because they take pride in these three pillars and it shows each practice and day at school.

What is your motivation for coaching? This is a time-consuming and challenging occupation. Why do you do it? 

I coach because I love working with kids and teaching them the game of soccer. It is so empowering to help and develop student athletes over a four year period of time. You don’t just see them develop as soccer players but also as young women. I have loved every minute of coaching at the high school level!

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast.

Chace Hutchison

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the season, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which are meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

Addy Gleckler

Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Kelli Gleckler & Chad Gleckler

High School Soccer Team: Elkhorn South Girls Soccer

Position: Forward

Club Team: Gretna Elite Academy

Grade Level: Sophomore (10th grade)

What is your favorite subject in school? Why? My favorite subject is biology because I want to go into the Medical Field when I am older.

What are your goals as an individual player? What are you doing to achieve those goals? 

As a player, I have set many goals for myself so that I am always improving. Some goals I made at the beginning of the year are improving my speed, my footwork, and my confidence. With the pandemic, I had a lot of free time to get some touches on the ball everyday and go on runs in the mornings. I also went up to the field a few times and worked on some drills and my shot with my sister.

What goals do you have for your high school team during the 2021 season and beyond? What do you hope to accomplish as a group throughout your high school career? 

This high school season I hope to follow in the footsteps of the last season and work our hardest to make it to state and possibly win it! I also hope that throughout my high school career my team continues to improve and get better together.

Who’s your favorite soccer player and why? 

My favorite soccer player is Tobin Heath. She has AMAZING footwork and is always creating opportunities for her team. She is a great team player and always seems very positive and happy to be on the field and playing soccer.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast.

Chace Hutchison

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the season, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which are meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

Allison Morrow

Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Julie Morrow & Dan Morrow

High School Soccer Team: Lincoln Northeast

Position: Central Defender

Club Team: Gretna Elite Soccer Club

Grade Level: Freshman

What is your favorite subject in school? Why? My favorite subject in school is geosciences because I like learning about our earth and universe.

What are your goals as an individual player? What are you doing to achieve those goals? 

My goals are to keep expanding my knowledgeable skills of soccer for my future career. I will achieve these goals by practicing more and reviewing my games to see what I can do better.

What goals do you have for your high school team during the 2021 season and beyond? What do you hope to accomplish as a group throughout your high school career? 

A goal that I have for my high school career is to work together as a team to win more games.

Who’s your favorite soccer player and why?

If I would have to choose one, I would choose Alex Morgan because I have been watching her since I was little.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast.

Chace Hutchison

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the season, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which are meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

Kristie Brezenski

Name of High School Program: Columbus Scotus Central Catholic Girls

Occupation Outside of Coaching: 2nd Grade Teacher 

Soccer Idol: Abby Wambach

Who would you consider to be your soccer mentor? What is the story behind your selection? How did they help you in your soccer journey? 

My cousin Kim Engelbert was my soccer mentor.  My dad and I would go watch her play when she was at Duchesne.  She was quick, had moves, and had this “never say die” attitude.  Kim was so kind off the field, but her presence on the field made me want to be her.  She put in the work outside of practice and was willing to take me aside and show me some soccer moves.  Any time given to a kid that looks up to you changes them.  It builds them up, it gives them a sense that they can do anything, they can conquer the world.  

Describe a favorite soccer memory that you have been involved with. This memory could be from your playing or coaching experiences. Tell us the story and impact of this memory. 

When I was in college, we were playing in Kansas and we were up 2-1 against a top 10 team in NAIA.  The game was getting rough and a little out of hand.  A few of my teammates got into a small brawl and I remember our whole team sprinting from every side of the field to be there to defend them.  We knew we had each others’ backs.  That gave us the fuel we needed to get behind each other, dig in, and pull out the win.  That year, we were so rough with each other at practice and would push each other so hard.  But getting through those tough times together, we ended up being so close and would do anything for every member of that team.  I truly believe that is one of the main reasons we were so successful that year.

List and describe three important pillars or values of your program. What is the culture of your program built on? What do they mean to you? 

1. Perseverance – going above and beyond, despite the obstacles that lie in the path.  Having that “Never give up!” attitude, fighting till the end.

2. Effort – that no matter what, 110% will be given at any point in time.  The one thing that we can always count on is effort. 

3. Camaraderie – any team that plays together and for each other, nothing can stop them.

This program is built on tradition.  A tradition of being team first, doing everything we can to make each player be the best that they can for the betterment of the team.  There have been a multitude of strong, successful athletes that have come through Scotus to strengthen the tradition of “whatever it takes.”  I love that it hangs over our girls’ heads to strive to be a part of that tradition.

What is your motivation for coaching? This is a time-consuming and challenging occupation. Why do you do it? 

My motivation for coaching is to not only give these girls the skills to succeed on the soccer field, but also to help aid in developing the skills to succeed in life.  They need to find their own motivation to keep going when things are tough, they can’t depend on others to do it for you.  Giving 100% effort when things seem pointless, can give you the push you need to rise above all else.  To never settle on being just good enough at something, but to constantly strive to better yourself in every aspect of life.  There will always be time and ways to get better to keep stepping up that ladder in life.  Don’t always take the easy way, if it’s too easy, it’s too good to be true and probably not worth it.  Things are hard in life, embrace the hard, take the bull by the horns, and be ready to fight.  You are worth it!!!

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast.

Chace Hutchison

This list was developed while considering many different factors including program track records, recommendations from coaches, game observations, and roster strength. With that being said, much of this is subjective and opinions can vary. To the best of our ability, these rankings will reflect the reality of the soccer environment. Adjustments will be made as the season progresses and many conversations will take place. We look forward to those discussions.

Also, included in each article is a section titled Teams on the Verge. These teams ranked just outside our Top 10 but are considered to be in contention. The rankings are fluid and flexible; any team could quickly enter our Top 10 list.

Class B Boys Top 10 Ranking

1. Omaha Skutt (6-0)
2. Lexington (6-1)
3. Crete (3-1)
4. Bennington (7-2)
5. Blair (5-0)
6. Northwest (3-1)
7. Mount Michael Benedictine (3-2)
8. South Sioux City (1-6)
9. Aurora (3-2)
10. Norris (3-2)

Teams on the Verge: Beatrice, Elkhorn North, Schuyler

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, or listen to our podcast.

Chace Hutchison