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When starting a college sports program, the first season can be a little rough. The second season may not be the best you want to be, but you definitely start to see some progress. But the third season is where you start to see some direction.
That’s where coach Dave Owens and the Metropolitan Community College-Blue River Trail Blazers men’s soccer team are, and they’re hoping it’s a charm.
Owens has been with MCC-Blue River since the soccer team was established, hired as head coach of the men’s team and assistant of the women’s. This year, he’s hoping to see the improvement continue as the program progresses.
“Our first season, we got on line,” Owens explained. “We didn’t go ahead on recruiting until late fall, and we didn’t really have the talent we needed. A lot of people didn’t know about us yet, and we only won four games.
“Our second season was hard. Since we only won four games, it was tough to recruit. A lot of kids want to be a part of winning programs. So I went to games, showcases, anything I could be at to try and pitch Blue River. We weren’t very deep, but we were definitely competitive and we went 9-10 our second year and finished in the top four in our region and got a quarterfinal game.”
But the season didn’t stop there.
“We won our regional quarterfinal game and advanced to the regional semifinals,” Owens said of the 4-1 victory over St. Louis Community College-Forest Park. “But we lost (4-1) against Jefferson College, who went on to the national championship bracket. So they were good.”
But now, it’s a new year, and Owens knows it.
“We have four solid starters coming back; we had a few who decided not to. But we’re coming along,” he said. “It’s hard to say just how the season will go. I can’t really give a win total. But we’re hoping to progress each and every single game.”
The players are hoping to continue the progression, as well.
Almost all the players are graduates from around the metro area, including Independence and Blue Springs, like Van Horn grad and 2008 Examiner Soccer Player of the Year Yacine Hamchaoui, Truman High School alum Shane Brixey, and former Blue Springs South Jaguar Zane Christianson.
When starting a college sports program, the first season can be a little rough. The second season may not be the best you want to be, but you definitely start to see some progress. But the third season is where you start to see some direction.
That’s where coach Dave Owens and the Metropolitan Community College-Blue River Trail Blazers men’s soccer team are, and they’re hoping it’s a charm.
Owens has been with MCC-Blue River since the soccer team was established, hired as head coach of the men’s team and assistant of the women’s. This year, he’s hoping to see the improvement continue as the program progresses.
“Our first season, we got on line,” Owens explained. “We didn’t go ahead on recruiting until late fall, and we didn’t really have the talent we needed. A lot of people didn’t know about us yet, and we only won four games.
“Our second season was hard. Since we only won four games, it was tough to recruit. A lot of kids want to be a part of winning programs. So I went to games, showcases, anything I could be at to try and pitch Blue River. We weren’t very deep, but we were definitely competitive and we went 9-10 our second year and finished in the top four in our region and got a quarterfinal game.”
But the season didn’t stop there.
“We won our regional quarterfinal game and advanced to the regional semifinals,” Owens said of the 4-1 victory over St. Louis Community College-Forest Park. “But we lost (4-1) against Jefferson College, who went on to the national championship bracket. So they were good.”
But now, it’s a new year, and Owens knows it.
“We have four solid starters coming back; we had a few who decided not to. But we’re coming along,” he said. “It’s hard to say just how the season will go. I can’t really give a win total. But we’re hoping to progress each and every single game.”
The players are hoping to continue the progression, as well.
Almost all the players are graduates from around the metro area, including Independence and Blue Springs, like Van Horn grad and 2008 Examiner Soccer Player of the Year Yacine Hamchaoui, Truman High School alum Shane Brixey, and former Blue Springs South Jaguar Zane Christianson.
Hamchaoui is excited to play the sport he loves close to home.
“It means everything to me,” he said. “I’m still close to my family. I think Blue River is, honestly, the best community college around.”
Hamchaoui is being held out of regular workouts at this week’s camp due to multiple stress fractures and a strained knee ligament suffered earlier this summer.
But the former Falcon is ready to get back on the field and help his team and build off a breathtaking 69-goal performance his senior year.
“I think I have a better attitude this year. I think I can have a better year than I did last year if I can eliminate the mistakes,” he said. “I think I can be a better player. Anything less than 20 goals would be a disappointment for me.”
Christianson loves playing close to home, as well.
“I like it. I get to play for a college team with a lot of local talent,” he said. “It’s really crazy but in a good way, seeing all these guys I played against in high school. Like Matt Beaver, he was a Blue Springs kid, and we had a rivalry. But now we’re on the same team, and there are other examples of that.”
Brixey is a walk-on at the college, and actually contacted Owens about a possible roster spot.
“He’s a player,” Owens said.
But Brixey knows he’s getting more than just an education in the classroom.
“The coaching staff is great here,” Brixey said.
“They’ve really built a great team.”
That coaching staff includes Owens, women’s head coach and men’s assistant coach Brad Childers, and former Kansas City Comets (indoor soccer) player, assistant coach Vlatko Andonovski of Macedonia.
Andonovski also played outdoor soccer in Europe for a number of years before playing for the Wichita Wings, Comets and Philidelphia KiXX before coaching in the Kansas City area.
Currently, he coaches five Futura Futbol Club teams with Owens and Childers. And it was that bond of coaching that brought the three together as the Trailblazers coaching staff.
“We have a really good friendship,” Andonovski said. “It’s all about good coaching. I’m helping the teams, but I’m also learning about communicating as a coach.
“We really have good chemistry.”
Owens and the coaching staff believe this team can keep going on the path they’ve “blazed” so far. Owens is certainly confident.
“I’m not placing a limit on this team.”
