MOUNT VERNON — It might be considered one of Knox County’s hidden gems.
On May 16, the Mount Vernon Stinger Soccer Club will attempt to come out of hiding and advance in The Ohio State Cup semifinal in Dublin.
According to its website, the Ohio Cup is “Ohio’s premier state-wide soccer tournament.”
Even with a state championship on the line, head coach Nick Vicars is well aware that he is coaching players who are just 11 years old.
“At the end of the day, they are still kids, and you want to find that balance between challenging them to get better but also enjoying what they are doing and having fun,” Vicars said.
Vicars noted the fine line between wanting to be the best and having fun.
“It can present a challenge because you want to practice, you want to get better. But at the same time, you don’t want any player to get burnt out and hate the game by the time they are 14 or 15,” Vicars said.
Team communication critical for success
Vicars believes that team communication is critical for success, on and off the field.
“We talk a lot as a team about belief and confidence and how we react when that confidence is shaken,” the coach said, emphasizing the importance of relationships.
“When we go into these games, let’s play loose, let’s play for fun, let’s play for our teammates.”
The mentor knows that no team in any sport goes undefeated forever.
“On any given day, you may not get the result you want, but that is one reason we play, to compete and to get better,” he said.
While the coach wants to see his team improve, it has posted a 14-7 record over their last 21 games. Even though the squad carries the Mount Vernon Sting Soccer Club moniker, the 14 players are from all over Knox County and beyond its borders.
They are: Alexandra Raney, Josephine Smith, Kennedy Vicars, Mollie Jurkowitz, Quinn Hawkins, Ruby Krabill, and Sutton Reynolds from Knox County. Hailing from Coshocton County are Emilia Lonsinger, Malaina Miller, and Scarlett Cohen. Rounding out the team, from Morrow County are Chesney McCafferty, Emmy Green, Scarlett Rivers, and Vivienne Kerr.
Assisting Vicars with the team are Matt Krabill and Phil Smith.
The head coach knows that the competition in a statewide tournament will be fierce.
“It is going to be a challenge because we are going to face some really big clubs,” he said. “When you get to clubs that are in Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, we already played some of them in preliminary matches, but they often have multiple teams within the same age.
“They may have two or three teams, and they can kind of select and filter the players to make a strong, strong team.”
Parents’ support is essential
Players’ parents have invested more in the team than just their children. Being a club sport, the team is not officially affiliated with a broader organization such as the school system. The nickname Stingers references the Mount Vernon Yellow Jackets.
“This tournament was a bit of an outlier, and it wasn’t covered by the club fees. To give the girls the opportunity, the parents actually came together to cover the cost of this tournament,” the coach said.
As with many sports, members of the Stinger have gone through a vetting process. There are three main areas coaches look for during tryouts.
“You’re looking for their technical ability, their confidence on the ball, and their personality, which is a big factor,” Vicars said. “Are they listening to the coaches? Are they applying what the coaches say? Those are the big three.”
Home matches are played at the Knox County Foundation Field.
“It is also referred to as the Mount Vernon Nazarene Community Field. It is at the corner of Cougar Drive and Mount Vernon Avenue,” Vicars said.
To reach the semifinals in Dublin, the squad posted a 3-1 record in the State Cup preliminary finals. They will face their first opponent at either 11:40 a.m. or 1 p.m. on the 16th, at Sports Ohio, 6400 Dublin Park Drive in Dublin.
Vicars knows that the time he and the other coaches have with the members of the team is finite.
“One of the goals of any coach is that these players continue to play the sport much longer than we have to coach them,” Vicars said.