Staples Soccer Tryouts Start Strongly
Staples boys soccer’s 57th season began yesterday, with the traditional double sessions of tryouts.
Over 4 dozen hopefuls showed up, competing for varsity and junior varsity spots. Nearly 40 boys came out for the freshman squad.
The varsity candidates are “very fit and very motivated,” said head coach Dan Woog. “The vast majority of them worked extremely hard in the off-season. Between 6 a.m. fitness sessions, Workouts of the Week, playing in summer leagues and training on their own, they helped us hit the ground running.” He cited the commitment and leadership of returning seniors Nate Argosh, Patrick Beusse, Gabe Pensak, Andrew Puchala and Michael Reid as setting a great off-season example for everyone.
Unseasonably cool weather contributed to the coaches “getting more out of our 1st 3 sessions than any other year I can recall,” Woog added on Sunday morning.
The weekend’s workouts will be crucial. School starts tomorrow (Monday, August 25), marking the earliest end to double sessions in Staples soccer history.
Pre-season scrimmages begin this week, with Fairfield Prep (Wednesday, home, 4 p.m.), New England prep school powerhouse South Kent (away, Friday, 3 p.m.), and defending New York City public school champion Martin Luther King next Sunday, August 31 (home, 1 p.m.).
“It’s a hectic time,” Woog admitted. “But it’s the start of the 3 best months of the year.”
Gabe Pensak (left) and Patrick Beusse lead the 2014 candidates in an early warmup. (Photo/Kim Lake)
The “Zel” twins — Jack Zeldes (left) and Denzel Robinson — tangle in a pre-season drill. (Photo/Kim Lake)
