The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“Our biggest strength is culture”
BY Than Acuff
After getting knocked out in the semifinals of the 2A state soccer tournament last year, the Crested Butte Titans boys’ soccer team looks to get back into the mix of the post season and then go from there.
“Last season was special and a big step forward for our soccer program,” says coach Matt Wilson. “We had some outstanding footballers on that squad and reaching the semis showed consistency and quality of our team. The semifinal loss to Forge Christian hit really hard and falling short of our goal of another championship is never easy. But we use those moments as motivation to get better in the off-season and it’s fuel for the boys to come back stronger than ever.”
The Titans lost some key players from that team to graduation but have several incoming seniors who were a part of that run and some younger players that are ready for their shot at being part of the varsity squad.
“Graduation always brings change, but we’ve created a culture that has a history of players stepping up when the opportunity comes,” says Wilson. “I’ve witnessed multiple players put in some serious work this off-season and I believe they are ready to make an immediate impact on the pitch this year.”
Preseason workouts are always a mix of getting players the needed technical work, fitness and eventually building into bigger picture items. Fortunately, based on what the coaches saw at the annual Midnight Madness, one element appears to be in place.
“Preseason has been very positive overall,” says Wilson. “The boys came in fit and focused which tells me they’re committed and locked in. We’ve focused on discipline, fitness, defending as a unit and then letting our attacking play grow from there. We plan on being sharp technically and tactically from the first whistle of the season.”
After just one week of preseason, the Titans got their first test with a series of scrimmages in Montrose last weekend and while some elements remain missing, there were a lot of good things the coaches saw from the seniors on down to the incoming freshmen.
“The scrimmages in Montrose gave us exactly what we wanted, which was tough competition against strong 3A and 4A teams,” says Wilson. “We were tested, saw areas to improve and confirmed our strengths. We noticed how our seniors really stepped up and led the way, so it’s easy to see that the ceiling for this team is going to be very high this year.”
All the talent in the world can be wasted though so, like any high school sports program, the biggest X factor is the energy on the team and Wilson believes the Titans have what it takes to build energy starting now and through the entire season.
“Our biggest strength is culture,” says Wilson. “The boys know the standard and embrace the work. We’ve got 10 seniors who form a strong core, and our younger lads bring energy and talent to the equation.”
The Titans kick off the season with two home games this weekend as they host Roaring Fork on Friday, August 22 at Rainbow Field at 4 p.m. and then Basalt on Saturday at 11 a.m. also at Rainbow Field. The Titans hope to christen the new field at the school the second or third week of September and, provided they stay healthy and on point, make the post season for another chance at the big show and continue building for the future.
“With so many phenomenal seniors, the goal is clear, compete for another state championship,” says Wilson. “Beyond that, we’re focused on developing these young men into amazing adults with the byproduct being great footballers.”
