The world as they know it at the NCAA’s Division II level is not a friendly place for most coaches, who have to wait until the big-name talent cashes in their Division I full-ride scholarships before realizing what’s left in
The world as they know it at the NCAA’s Division II level is not a friendly place for most coaches, who have to wait until the big-name talent cashes in their Division I full-ride scholarships before realizing what’s left in the recruiting cupboard.
Often, it’s a matter of grabbing what you can and making the best of the players headed to your school. In the case of UH-Hilo soccer director Lance Thompson, who coaches both men’s and women’s teams, there is the additional, self-imposed burden of attracting players who are ready to spend some quality time being uncomfortable on an almost daily basis.
That’s why Thompson smiles when he looks over a list of eight incoming players for the Vulcans’ women’s team.
“We preach a basic core philosophy,” Thompson said Tuesday, “which is that (players) need to be comfortable with the idea of being uncomfortable. Our process is to train on the physical edge of competition, while a lot of people, especially freshmen, that you bring in, are used to training until they get uncomfortable, and then backing off and regrouping.
“We want you at that uncomfortable part, and then we test you against each other in a variety of skills,” he said. “We want to play at that level, right on the edge, and the only way to do that is to practice at that level.”
Thompson thinks he got those kind of players in the list of approved letters of intent to attend the school this fall, which can only help the soccer team.
“These people are going to enhance, I think in a big way, a team from last year that grew a lot of the season went on,” Thompson said. “We have found the biggest growth, either from high school or junior college, comes in the spring following the first year here, the learning curve isn’t quite so steep.
“The people coming back have really bought in and that’s going to be a big help in the process, we have real team leaders now,” he said. “We’re pretty excited here about what we have, sort of in the works, if you will.”
The list of newcomers should probably include Waiakea High School’s Sabrina Scott, even though she entered school as a freshman last fall. The former BIIF Player of the Year and first-team all-league selection got her first action as a freshman in the second game of the season at Chaminade. Her only stat was a number 4 under the category minutes played. She tore her ACL and sat out the entire season, but she’s back for a re-start.
The other Big Island newcomer is Bryana-Marie Ebbers from Kamehameha, where she was selected first-team BIIF in her senior season as a forward.
“We want all the capable local players we can get and these are two good ones,” Thompson said.
They aren’t the only ones who will be expected to contribute among the newcomers.
Ysabela Barin, a goalkeeper from Mira Mesa High School near San Diego, is an academic achiever and “will push for minutes right away,” Thompson said.
Madison Gates, from Brea-Olinda high School in the Fullerton, Calif., area, contacted Thompson early and has always hoped to attend UHH. Thompson saw her at a game he was there to watch Barin, and came away impressed by Gates.
“She has a burning desire to be here and she’s very technically savvy, she knows the game real well,” Thompson said.
Clarissa Guerrero is a transfer from Chaffey Community College, out of Burbank (Calif.) High School who might be capable of making an immediate impact offensively.
A junior this fall, Guerrero “can come in here and score goals,” Thompson said. “She’s a striker who knows how to score.”
Astrid Perez is another JC transfer from College of the Canyons (Spring Valley, Calif.), who “had a few other options besides us,” Thompson said. “We’re lucky to have her off a perennial playoff team, she’ used to winning and we’re excited to see how she fits in as a playmaker in midfield.”
Nicole Ramirez is a freshman from Steele Canyon High School in Spring Valley, Calif., who will “give us versatility, she has played a lot of forward and also can play the midfield, so we will see how she fits in.”
Two other transfers, Sophia Satterlee, a defender, and Milana Wolsleben, a center midfielder, comes form the same team at Sierra Community College (Calif.).
“Sophia is tall, something we haven’t had a lot of,” Thompson said, “and she’s fast and plays aggressively. Milan is similar in some respects to Perez, she has excellent vision, sees everything, understands the concepts and can help us control the ball.”
Thompson expects to sign a few more as the summer wears on. A new Pacific West Conference rule allows soccer to take 20 players on the road — up from 18 in the past — so he may sign as many as 27 or 28 by the end of August.
