With a new coach taking the reigns, boys’ varsity soccer is looking to improve on last season’s record and make it to this season’s North Coast Section finals.

To achieve their goals, the squad will need to shake off some early season struggles.  “It’s been a rough transitioning period lately with the new coach and staff, but we are coming back strong,” said sophomore Kellen Clancy.

Aaron Girard, a Campolindo graduate, has returned to coach the 2017-2018 season after long-time coach Shane Carney stepped down to focus on starting a family.

“Shane had a long record of success at Campo, and the program is coming out of its greatest years of a 30- 40 year program with the terms of a winning record going back to the 1980s,” said Girard.

Girard is eager to add his own mark on the program. “The foundations that I believe in are completing the goals you set for a practice session, to improve upon them and then the community, and teamwork is very special, and very unique,” he said.

One way the new coach is helping his players succeed is by encouraging them to work hard. “[Girard] is super intense and always gets the most out of every player and to perform our very best on the field,” said junior Jose Carra-Hernandez, one of the team’s captains.

Girard is also looking to implement a stronger nutrition plan to keep the boys healthy and fit so they can sustain their intensity in the bigger games coming up in January and February.

Following a preseason game against Miramonte on December 2, Carra-Hernandez said, “We fought hard and we played till the end but we were unfortunate to receive three goals two of those that came quickly in the first half uplifting their spirits and allowing them to come strong in the second half. We have two more games against them and results will not stay the way they did last Saturday.”

Junior Vivek Lashkari said, “I just want to be a good leader and to help the team as much as I can and for them to have a positive attitude and to keep working for each other to put up the results.”

The team’s 1st league game is scheduled for January 10th against Ygnacio Valley High School.