Pisgah soccer preview: Bears plan to finally make a splash in the Mountain 7
Aug. 7—Heading into Roddy Alt's fourth season as boys' soccer coach at Pisgah High School, the team will look to do something it hasn't done in three seasons: win a conference game.
Alt said the lack of experience on the roster contributed to the team's 0-12 record in the Mountain 7 Conference, a difficult conference for boys' soccer.
"We haven't had a lot of experience at the junior and senior levels," Alt said. "The COVID year [2020-21] and last year [2021-22] was like some of the guys were playing at [junior varsity] level, but playing a varsity season, but they were good and developing players."
Last season, the Bears came close to knocking off two conference foes, losing 2-1 to East Henderson and 2-1 to Franklin.
Franklin was the second-best team in the conference, even making it to the second round the playoffs.
"Last year we were competitive and were in a lot of those matches but the other teams had more experience, physicality and fitness down the stretch in those games. There are really strong teams in our conference," Alt said.
But Alt said his team continued to play and improve as the season went on, even if the record didn't reflect it.
"We played Tuscola well and a lot of the teams well. Some of those teams had really strong players," he said.
Alt said that his players did a good job of keeping possession of the ball, especially.
He plans for his boys to increase their physicality this season, a necessity in the difficult Mountain 7.
"Some of it you can coach and you can put them in the right environment doing offseason training," Alt said.
He said that having experienced leaders on the team model physicality for the younger guys is important to building a complete team.
Alt named Evan Byrd, who was an all-conference player last season, as well as Julian Gamez, Jesus Gamez and Jon Gamez as his senior leaders for Pisgah.
"[They] have been working hard in the offseason on their game," Alt said. "We're trying to build that intrinsic motivation [in the players], and trying to push kids to where they're enjoying it and they want it."
Another sign of hope is the burgeoning junior varsity program, which Pisgah was able to field in 2021 for the first time in a few years.
"Our numbers this week for tryouts have been good," Alt said, adding that not having a JV program hampered the development of many of the current upperclassmen.
"Those younger kids getting time on the field and playing against their peers at their own age and physicality [is important]. There's so much difference with the boys being 14 versus the development of 18 years old," he said.
Pisgah's first match is Monday, Aug. 22, at Murphy High School.
"I'm excited about the year and to get out there and push these guys to their potential," Alt said.
