The Patriot Press sat down with Boys Varsity Soccer Coach, Mr. Mehl, and discussed this past season.  Here is what he had to say about all the team had accomplished and close-knit family they have become!

Q: What was the team’s record this year?

A: 15-7

Q:  What was the toughest game as a coach and why?

A: The toughest game to coach turned out to be Hunterdon Central which was our last game.  This was mainly due to the 90 minute bus ride. But always CBA is the standard “tough” game, and beating them on their field is always a treat.

Q:  What made you initially want to coach at FTHS?  Has your experience here held true to your initial goals?

A: I wanted to coach because i felt that i had a lot of knowledge and passion about Soccer to give back to our student-athletes.  I am a passionate and caring person and i wanted the opportunity to positively enhance the lives of our athletes.  I believe that my experiences in this program and in other sports i have coached have enabled me to connect with our athletes and fulfill objectives that i had set out for myself.  The only reason I coach is to help athletes become better players and people, which is the same reason why i wanted to become an educator.

Q: Do you consider yourself a coach or a teacher first?

A: Certainly a teacher first and foremost.  I take great pride in my job and and the myriad of courses which i have taught at FTHS. All of my players know and understand that the emphasis is academics, because their education is what will take them through life.  I think if you ever interviewed any of the players i had which were also students of mine, they’d echo the same sentiments.

Q:  Is it weird to have the boys in class as well as players?

A: Not really.  This current Senior class and I are so close that they know who I am and what my expectations are for them.  We have a great relationship where we can have fun, concentrate on the pitch, but when we are in class they are just like every other student.

Q:  How were the seniors key on the team this year both on the field and in the team’s overall dynamic?

A: This senior class was and will always be extremely special to me.  I was literally the only coach they ever had in high school for soccer which is quite rare.  We’ve been together for four years and the overwhelming majority of them were on the Varsity last season, so coming into this year expectations were high.  They welcomed the new team members with open arms and made them feel at home from day one.  This is the closest-knit group I’ve ever had the pleasure to be around, and it was something you looked forward to each day.

Q:  Are there any underclassmen we should lookout for?

A: Absolutely.  There are a ton of talented players who stand out, which is a testament to this town and the soccer powerhouse it has become.  Junior starters Evan Nastarowicz, Alex Janssen, Alonzo Konstantinidis, and Chris Orrico will be integral to our success.  Sophomores, Evan Savino and Bennett Messinger have both been varsity starters since they were freshman.  And then there is the Freshman trio of Zach Orrico, Mike Farrell, and John Wilhelm who all made the team this past year and are the future of the program.

Q:  Many FTHS Soccer Players go on to play in college.  Do you think the boys are ready to play on these intense teams?

A: Absolutely, and many former graduates have been tremendously successful playing and coaching at the next level.  The desire and commitment must be present because it is a challenge balancing your education and sports, you have to have the motivation to get the most of of your experiences.  Many of the players who have come through the program go to tremendous academic settings  (American, Monmouth, Rowan, FDU, etc.)  who also happen to have competitive soccer programs. the priority is to go to a place where you enjoy the benefits of what your education can offer you and to play soccer for as long as you love the game.

Q:  How did the leadership by the Seniors make your job as a coach easier?

A: Again, being together for the past four years, we created a true understanding of each other.  We built a trust on and off the field and that is based upon mutual respect.  These seniors set a positive example for the underclassmen to follow as they come through the program.  These seniors were a part and achieved an outstanding record and are walking out of here with some championship success.  That is something that is truly special and provides the younger guys with an opportunity to dream big.

Q:  What is one thing you want all the boys to leave this season remembering?

A: I want the boys to remember that this game should always be fun, and that the people you encounter in it’s course should make your life better.  The biggest part of being on a team is belief in the people who you share that with care about you and your success.  

Q: Any final thoughts?

A: This was one of the best groups of people I have ever been around and their presence on the field will be sorely missed.  But once you graduate, you are always a part of this program and tradition.