Men's soccer kicks off 2017 season with a new brand and coach

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New men's soccer coach Derek Potteiger is whipping the team into shape with quicker drills and higher expectations.

Courtesy of LeeSports

The men's soccer team had only a short preseason​ ​to ​get​ ​to​ ​know​ ​their​ ​new​ ​coach, Derek Potteiger,​ but now ​the​ ​players are ready​ ​to​ ​kick​​start​ ​the​ ​fall​ ​season​ ​with​ ​new​ ​goals​ ​and​ ​fresh​ ​legs.

Potteiger officially filled the position of head coach early this year — a spot left open by Paul Fury, who resigned at the end of last season.  

After three seasons of heading the Gordon College​ ​team in Massachusetts, Potteiger came to Lee with high hopes of reinstating the spirit of men’s soccer and rebranding the team’s vision.

“Can​ ​we​ ​be​ ​dangerous?​ ​Can​ ​we​ ​create​ ​chances?”​ ​Potteiger​ ​told Lee Clarion​. ​“The​ ​more​ ​chances you​ ​create​, ​the​ ​more​ ​opportunities​ ​you​ ​have​ ​to​ ​score — and​ ​we​ ​want​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​facilitators of​ ​that.”

Potteiger​ ​explained​ ​the​ ​team’s new brand ​is​ ​fast​-paced,​ ​competitive​ ​and​ ​captivating.​ ​

So far, the​ ​team has​ ​been​ ​working​ ​on​ ​pressing​ ​both​ ​sides​ ​of​ ​the​ ​ball.

They have made ​​high​ ​tempo​ ​games​ ​an expectation​ ​this​ ​season,​ ​striving to make each​ ​game​ ​better​ ​than​ ​the​ ​last.

Team​ ​captain​ ​Austin​ ​Waddell​ ​is​ ​back​ ​for​ ​a​ ​fifth​ ​season​ ​after​ ​being​ ​red​-​shirted​ ​last fall due​ ​to​ ​a​ ​knee​ ​surgery.​

​He​ ​and​ ​his​ ​teammates​ ​took​ ​very​ ​quickly​ ​to​ ​Potteiger’s​ ​vision and methods in coaching​.

​​“[Last​ ​season]​ ​we​ ​played​ ​very​ ​patiently — ​we​ ​didn’t​ ​take​ ​risks​ ​going​ ​forward,”​ ​Waddell​ ​said. “We​ ​sat​ ​back​ ​and​ ​waited​ ​for​ ​the​ ​other​ ​team​ ​to​ ​make​ ​a​ ​mistake. ... With​ ​Potteiger​ ​we play​ ​very​ ​high​ ​tempo,​ ​very​ ​fast.​ ​We​ ​try​ ​to​ ​get​ ​the​ ​ball​ ​immediately​ ​when​ ​we​ ​lose​ ​it.”

With​ these ​faster​-paced​ ​games​ ​and​ ​practices,​ ​new​ ​workouts​ ​are​ ​inevitable, and running​ is now​ ​a​ ​foundation​ ​on​ ​which​ ​the​ ​team​ ​is building ​their​ ​skills.

“We​ ​have​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​most​ ​physically​ ​fit​ ​team​ ​in​ ​the​ ​conference,”​ ​Waddell​ ​said.

Though​ Potteiger ​seemed to step​ ​in​ ​with​ ​no​ ​resistance,​ ​the​ team wasn’t​ ​used​ ​to​ ​the amount​ ​of​ ​running​ ​the new coach​ ​implemented​ ​into​ their workouts.

“They​ ​joked​ ​they​ ​were​ ​on​ ​the​ ​cross​ ​country​ ​team,​” ​Potteiger​ ​said, noting ​the​ ​team​ ​needs​ ​to​ ​be​ ​extremely​ ​fit​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​pull​ ​off​ ​this​ ​new style​ ​of​ ​playing.​

Each time they step off the pitch, the players want to be quicker and more efficient than when they stepped on.

With​ ​big​ ​names​ ​like​ ​Quade​ ​Marinell,​ ​Robbie​ ​Cutchin​ ​and​ ​David​ ​Perez​ ​gone,​ ​Potteiger is looking ​to​ ​underclassmen​ ​Danny​ ​Johnston,​ ​Jose​ ​Orellana,​ ​Samaan​ ​Williams,​ ​Samir Williams​ ​and​ ​Jeremy​ ​Bonyaa​ ​to​ ​step​ ​up​ ​and​ ​fill​ ​their shoes.

And, with​ ​a​ ​3-2 win​ against Anderson ​already​ ​under​ ​their​ ​belt,​ ​the​ ​Flames​ ​have​ ​their​ ​eyes​ ​on​ ​the​ ​conference championship.

"It seemed like the spirit of the team fell off from what it used to be," said Waddell. "I think with Potteiger we're starting to get that back."​