Four years ago Trevecca
Athletic Director Alan Smith added men's and women's soccer to the
athletics program. At that time Stan Herod accepted the coaching job
for both teams. Now, four seasons later, Herod is seeing both
programs become contenders.
"Both teams are stronger overall," Herod says. "This year will be
the first time that we will have a graduating class, students who
have been here for four years, and watching that kind of commitment
is good."
Commitment, one of the values Herod is urging his team to
concentrate on this season, has been one of the key elements in the
success of the men's soccer program. Herod is also using biblical
teachings to motivate the veteran team.
"2 Chronicles 16:9 is the motto for both men's and women's teams
for this season and school year," Herod explains. "It shows what
happens when we become fully committed." That verse says, "The eyes
of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those
whose hearts are fully committed to Him . . . ." For the men's team
that commitment was rewarded last season with another successful
year filled with improvements all around.
Not only has the men's team improved each year, but last season
the Trojans claimed their first winning record with a 8-7-3 season
and a trip to the TranSouth Conference Tournament. Herod states that
he'd like to see similar results this season. "We're one of the few
sports that has to earn a spot into the conference tournament at the
end of the season," Herod explains. "Our first goal is to earn that
spot."
To earn that spot, the Trojans will face one of the strongest
schedules they've seen. Trevecca will face national powerhouses
University of Mobile and Mid-Continent College this season along
with nationally ranked probables Berry College, Martin Methodist
College, and Covenant College.
"We'll miss the leadership we had last year," Herod observes,
"but we have a lot of speed, and when we get the chemistry together
in early practices, we should be a very strong team."
