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WILLIAMSTOWN - In a year when the United States was one of the host countries of World Cup men's soccer, the spirit of the sport is carrying over to the pitch at Williamstown High School and first-year coach Chris Harbour.
"We have had World Cup watch parties with the boys and their families- several have even come up with nicknames for each other after watching the USA and the World Cup final," Harbour said.
Harbour is a 2001 graduate from St. Marys High Schooland spent more than the past 20 years as a resident of Williamstown with his wife, Jaime, and two sons.
"What I like is the sense of community," Harbour said. "The kids have the opportunity to represent their school and play sports with their classmates. Williamstown is such a small area where the community rallies around their sports.
"My wife was born and raised in Williamstown, so she knows how it works. Being from St. Marys, I enjoyed how that small community rallies around the school and their sports programs."
Accompanying Harbour on the coachting staff are three assistants with strong soccer backgrounds. Jason Bauer is a former player at Parkersburg High School who has been involved with local recreational soccer for more than 10 years.
Scott Seago played high school soccer outside St. Louis, Mo. then continued his career at Wheeling Jesuit. After tennding high school in Jacksonville, Fla., Edis Osmanovich continued his soccer career at the University of Central Florida. He also competed two years at the semi-professional level in Orlando.
"It's a robust coaching staff," Harbour said. "They are the right fit for the kids and will work with the kids on their knowledge of soccer."
The roster of 22 individuals is relatively young but does not lack experience. Tripp Williams is the lone senior. Otherwise, the list is broken down into seven juniors, seven sophomores and seven freshmen.
"From seeing them in elementary basketball to youth soccer, I know most of the kids and they know me," Harbour said. "It's been a pretty easy transition.Obviously we want to win and have a grat season.The biggest message I am trying to get across to the kids is that sports provides an opportunity to learn life lessons that you carry with you forever."
Harbour's knowledge of the game stems from his eight years of experience coaching soccer for Club Ohio. Through travel soccer, his connection with former Williamstown boys soccer coach Telma Poole has provided him with a wealth of knowledge.
"We did not have soccer when I attended St.Marys," Harbour said. "Telma is the local soccer expert. We coach together and has taught me what I know. I picked her brain - that's how I got started. She was very excited to hear I would be coaching the boys team at Williamsown."
The season-opener on Aug. 22, will give Williamstown a strong sense of how they stand among the soccer programs at the Class AA/A level. On that day, Williamtown welcomes a Wheeling Central team which placed runner-up last year.
"We will be a very competitive team - we have players with a very positive outlook," Harbour sid. "I'm expecting a successful season."