The Union County High School Soccer Bravettes enter the 2023 season looking to build on positive momentum gained last season. They’ve already shown signs of growth, both in the number of players on the team and their quality of play.
Head coach Peter Nikolai, beginning his second coaching season, reflected on last season’s ups and downs. One challenge was sometimes playing with as few as 10 players on the field, which left no option to substitute players for rest. This year, he’s encouraged to have 18 members on the varsity roster. The added numbers will give the team more options for substitutions to conserve energy for the full length of matches.
The team will also be more experienced, as most members of last year’s team are returning. The team boasts 7 seniors including returning captain Annie Beaven and first-time captain Raegan Blackburn. There are also several new faces to the team and some freshmen who are advancing from junior varsity to varsity action. The team will also have a new assistant coach in Dana Wilson.
While last season’s record of 3-15-1 did not satisfy the Bravettes, the record was an improvement from the previous year. They also qualified for the Regional Tournament for the first time since 2015. “This season we are optimistic and ready to get back at it,” Coach Nimkolai shared. “The team is healthy again, with more players and more experience.”
“One way I hope to move some games from the loss to the win column is by protecting our phenomenal goalkeeper Kylie Cross better through the philosophy that sometimes, the best defense is a good offense,” Nikolai explained. “Good soccer involves great teamwork, good passing, and confident finishing, and we've been working on those things all pre-season. I'm excited to see the results of the team's hard work.”
Nikolai also emphasized that it’s not too late to join the team. “Several players on the team have never played before this year, so girls grades 7-12 shouldn't let inexperience stop them if they're interested,” he highlighted.
The Bravettes begin their season this week. Their roster and schedule are included below. Best wishes to the Bravettes on an exciting season!
