Comet girls soccer team to play varsity schedule this season

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Going into their third season of existence, the Charles City girls soccer team is ready for prime time.

“We only played JV last season,” Comet girls coach Hayley Jo Fransen said, “but this will be our first season playing varsity.

“Our confidence is much better this season, and the girls we have coming back have quickly picked up knowledge of the game. We don’t have to go through all the basic stuff like we did last year. We’re ready to play at the next level.”

The Comet girls first varsity home match is scheduled for April 8 against MFL Mar Mac at Comet Field.

Last Friday on one of the College Grounds soccer pitches amid unseasonably warm temperatures buoyed by seasonable wind gusts, the Comet girls held a full-speed intrasquad scrimmage.

Meanwhile on the adjacent pitch, the Comet boys soccer team were practicing politics.

“We have 15 players on our roster, and nine of them stepped up to stake their cases for being the team captain this season,” Charles City boys head coach Brad McKenzie said. “That shows a lot.”

With the team gathered in a tight circle, the candidates told what they could do for the team as one of its preeminent leaders. Some even mentioned that it would be a role not only embraced on the field, but off the field as well, and into the future within their families and communities.

“I didn’t expect that many to step up,” McKenzie said. “It seems like a lot of kids these days are shying away from leadership roles. They may not feel comfortable holding their peers accountable. Kids want to liked by others and not have to challenge their friends.

“But I told them, even if they are not the ones picked to be captain, I still expect them to be the leaders they said they would be when they were making their cases.”

The Comet boys are scheduled to open the season on Tuesday (April 1) when they host Webster City at Comet Field.