Pratt, Kan. – The Pratt Community College (PCC) men’s soccer team kicks off their season this Friday, August 26 against the #15 Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa (NOC-T) Mavericks. Game time is set at 4:00 pm at the Pratt Soccer Complex. The Beavers will then play the next day, August 27 against Otero College at 5:00 pm.
Last season, the Beaver soccer team finished 9-7 overall and 5-3 in conference play. The team won the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) championship and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region VI championship. They advanced to the NJCAA Plains District Championship match in Burlington, IA against Southeastern Community College. Unfortunately, the team ended their season with a 2-0 loss in the match.
We had an opportunity to sit down with Head Men’s Soccer Coach Kevin Kewley to talk about the upcoming season and this year’s team.
How do you follow up last year’s success? What are the teams goals this season?
I think the biggest one is getting to the national tournament. It was great winning conference and obviously we want to do that again, but the ultimate goal is to get to the national tournament. The tournament is in Wichita this year so it would be really nice. I think so far, we are looking really good, but we have to prove that on the field.
After last year’s success you were still picked to finish second in the conference and were not nationally ranked in the preseason poll… what type of motivation does it provide to the team?
It doesn’t upset me at all cause those things don’t matter to me, but I think it upsets the guys a little bit that they don’t get the respect they deserve. Of course, we will be doing everything we can to try and get nationally ranked and get the respect that we deserve. It is not something that overly concerns me as I know what we can do. I see the chances that we are going to have and we just got to put it all together and then people won’t ignore us.
With over thirty guys on the roster… how have your sophomores stepped up into a leadership role on the team?
I’ve been really surprised how well the sophomores have adapted to welcoming all of the freshman into the program. Helping them understand what we are about here at Pratt. We have a great tradition with soccer and have always done really well. All of the sophomores seem to understand that and they all taken upon themselves to help all of the freshman and keep the tradition going. We feel that we have a special group this year and we want to do something special.
Talk to use a little bit more about your incoming freshman class and any players to watch?
Obviously with junior colleges you reboot almost every year and you almost have a different team. The freshman who have come in this year all look spectacular. We had a great game against Cowley for 30-40 minutes when I played basically the guys who have been here before and some of the freshman. The Brazilians have made a big difference as have the guys from Europe. It’s hard to pick one or two guys out as the depth that we have really amazes me. In the past, depth has been one of our issues that we haven’t been able to keep the product on the field or the standard as high as we wanted to. I think with having so many players this year the competition of places are going to be fierce and they are going to have to play to a high standard, or their will be someone ready to take their spot.
Having lost a dominant goalkeeper in Rylan Walters… what should people be excepting in the goalies box this season?
Well returning sophomore Tommie Brady was looking to start last year, but we couldn’t keep Rylan out as he played so well. Tommie has looked really good this year and he is going to be pushed by Julian Layne and Brandon Bumgardner. The competition for goalkeeper is really good this year. It’s great for the three of them as they will keep each other on their toes for the starting spot.
You have built a program here at PCC with a lot of international players throughout your career… what is your mindset in bringing students in from all over the country to help your program?
Ever since I first came here it was given to me that we have to have American players and we have done that. I do think it is important to have Kansas kids on our roster and give them an opportunity to play. Usually, the best eleven players will be on the field most of the time. If it is an American kid, a Brazilian kid, a Europe kid it doesn’t matter. We have a strong base of both European and American kids and as long as I am here we will always have that.