A few local football teams got an early start to the preseason last week, as you know.
Several of the John Jay-East Fishkill players hit the field in the morning and, despite the sweltering temperatures, spent hours practicing formations, passing, footwork and even tackling.
All under the watchful eyes of a few British blokes.
“Working on technical skills and getting acclimated to practicing in these conditions,” senior Glenn Russell Miller said, “I think it was a great way to hit the ground running.”
Because days before the official start of fall high school sports preseason Monday, the Patriots were already practicing and being instructed by coaches from Leyton Orient Football Club.
(Oh, we should note here that the aforementioned “football” is soccer on this side of the pond.)
The East Fishkill Soccer Club serves essentially as a travel team and developmental system for the John Jay-East Fishkill high school program. It concluded its summer schedule last week with a three-day camp run by its friends from across the Atlantic.
2021 All-Stars: Mora, Grasseler and Kilpert among the stars who shone brightest last season
Boys soccer watch list: See the players in the running for the Journal’s Elite 11
A group of veteran coaches, including Ak Lahkani and Steve Embleton, traveled from London to work with the players Wednesday to Friday, offering European-style coaching, which midfielder Matt Zeolla described as “more focused on game-specific technical skills.”
East Fishkill Soccer has long enjoyed partnerships with British professional clubs, some of their players having gone to England as recently as 2019 to compete in an exhibition tour, and the organization sends its coaches annually to the Hudson Valley to host clinics.
Developing intercontinental bonds is pivotal to “further globalizing the game,” said Martin Ling, Director of Football for Leyton Orient, who dropped by practice Friday. “The growth of the game begins at the youth level and the American market has a lot of young talent. It’s important to maintain a connection here.”
That relationship was forged by friendships among instructors, including CJ Greenwood, who is the director of coaching for East Fishkill Soccer Club and head coach of the John Jay girls team.
“Most teams practice similar things, but there’s a difference in philosophy and the approach to developing skills,” Greenwood said of the European influence.
These minicamps began in 2015 and are held every summer, although COVID-19 forced a two-year hiatus before its return last week.
“It’s the fifth year I’ve been here, and I’ve always found the players to be respectful and very receptive to coaching,” said Embleton, who has coached for more than three decades in England. “I came to America 30 years ago when soccer wasn’t all that popular, and Massachusetts was one of the few states with club programs. It’s wonderful to see how much it’s blossomed since then.”
About 150 kids, ages 5 to 18, participated — some of the small children simply getting into soccer and learning the basics. Ryan Sulca, a 10-year-old from Beacon, said he enjoyed learning some of the finer points of footwork. And, of course, the British accents.
For the high school players, this was a preseason prelude.
“There’s gonna be a little extra soreness,” John Jay girls soccer standout Jenna Franco said of the club camp leading into scholastic camp. “But I think it’s a good buffer to get us back into serious training. Preseason is pretty intense and it’s a good way to get into that groove.”
They were also among the earliest teams to hit the field Monday, starting at 7:30 am for their first high school practice of the fall.
Franco will be among the key players for a Patriots squad coming off a run to the Section 1 Class AA final. John Jay graduated a handful of stars but does return a strong core and is again expected to be in title contention.
Center midfielder Kari Horos will help orchestrate the offense and Delaney Mohl could enjoy a breakout season as an attacking midfielder. Center back Meredith Angyal will anchor the defense alongside Franco at outside back.
The Patriots will have two daily practice sessions this week before traveling to Syracuse for two days next Monday for games against Section 3 powers Baldwinsville, Westhill and Cicero-North Syracuse.
“We’re gonna challenge ourselves right off the bat,” Greenwood said. “We’ll find out what we have and what we need to improve on immediately.”
The John Jay-East Fishkill boys soccer team has long been among the elites in Section 1 and winning a championship this fall should be a realistic goal, Zeolla said.
The Patriots put forth a stellar regular season and reached the sectional semifinals, but were edged in overtime by Mamaroneck, which went on to reach the Class AA state final four.
That heartbreak will serve as motivation, Miller insisted.
“I think we’ve got a lot of potential,” the outside back said. “We have some talented young guys coming up and some returning players that are really good.”
The Patriots are typically stout defensively and they will be led on that end by Miller and Grant Bryant, a fourth-year varsity standout. Midfielders Erik Popp and Zeolla, along with senior forward Connor Howe, will help spark the offense.
Each of those players spent the offseason improving individual skills and finding areas of their game to strengthen. Miller said he has grown as a distributor, better able to survey the field and anticipate plays. He also worked tirelessly to improve the power and dexterity of his left foot to become a better dribbler. Those skills which were reinforced during the camp last week.
“Soccer isn’t the first-choice sport in the US, but you see some of the traits from other sports that translate,” said Lakhani, who is also an assistant coach for the Jamaican women’s national team. “Many of them aren’t afraid of physicality, and there’s the agility and endurance you would see in basketball. These are talented athletes and I think they’ll do well.”
Stephen Haynes: [email protected]; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4