Cougars to rely on strength of young players

By Jose Negron

jnegron@yourmvi.com

A few things stand out when taking a gander at the Charleroi girls soccer team’s fall roster. 

First and foremost, the Cougars are dealing with a limited number of players for the fourth year in a row. They currently have 13 players on their roster and of those players, two are seniors, one is a junior and two are sophomores. 

A youth movement has come to Charleroi, however, as a whopping eight freshmen are set to join the program. All eight are expected to compete at a high level and serve as leaders almost instantly. 

“I’ve been looking forward to getting these girls up at the high school level for a few years now,” Charleroi head coach Traci Fleming said. “They’ve got four years to look forward to and they’re only going to get stronger, better and faster. They are just amazing to watch.” 

Many of Fleming’s freshmen have been playing together for quite some time at the cup level. Because of their camaraderie and ability to play off one another, Fleming believes positive results will come sooner rather than later. 

“They know their moves before their teammate is going to make it at this point,” Fleming said. “They all work so well together and they’re very encouraging. Even though they are the younger girls on the team, they have to bring some of the older, less experienced girls up to their level, so they have worked very well with them.” 

While Fleming is excited about the influx of young players ready to join the fold at the high school level, she doesn’t have a ton of depth to rely on. 

A lack of numbers at the youth and middle school levels have left the Cougars looking for more in years past. Meanwhile, the young players will be counted upon to soak up a majority of the playing time, leaving them more susceptible to injuries and fatigue. 

“No matter how strong we are, I feel like I’m always struggling to get those two or three more players to give us a more solid team because these freshmen are going to get beat up this year. It’s hard when you’re playing three games a week and you don’t get to come out for a break,” Fleming said. “I’m just worried about the injuries and keeping them safe and healthy throughout the season.” 

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