Soccer program hoping to lay foundation

Lemont Furnace, PA - When David Koebler was hired as the first head coach of the men's and women's soccer program at Penn State Fayette, he knew that he would have to hit the ground running.

He is trying to set a foundation and build things from the ground up in a short period of time.

With the team's inaugural contest quickly approaching on September 15, when the team heads to Penn State New Kensington for a Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) match, things are moving quickly.

"We are definitely in growth mode," Koebler said. "A fair number of our conversations are happening with current students, incoming freshmen and transfer students.  Our goal is to have 16 commitments by August 21 and our first practice is two days later."

With so much uncertainty and such a short turnaround, Koebler is realistic about expectations.

"We want to perform to the best of our abilities in the classroom and on the pitch," he said. "The players have to buy into the short-term and long-term goals we have for the program.  The goals include building a competitive and positive team culture, generating campus buzz and support.  We want to earn the respect of the other team we play in fixtures considering that we are a first-year program and we want to get through the season safe and without any serious injuries."

For more information on the soccer team, go to https://www.psfathletics.com/sports/msoc/index.

Written by Bill Hughes