With Sonia Basma as their new head coach, the Northern women’s soccer team gears up for the 2017 season while making the transition from last season’s coaching inconsistencies.
“I think the girls have been through a lot with the coaching changes, just having to deal with four or five different coaches this entire season,” Basma said. “It was a good start for them to get a feel of me for a little bit for the few months in the spring but I want it to just close off so we can start a new page in the next season.”
On Sept. 20 of last season, previous head coach Matt Granstrand announced he would be taking a leave of absence from the team leaving head coach of the men’s squad David Poggi the interim coach for the remainder of the season. The Wildcats managed to clinch a spot in the 2016 GLIAC tournament however, fell to the top-seeded Grand Valley State University in the first round of play-offs ending their season with the overall record 4-10-4.
“It was a definite change for our program [the men’s staff] definitely did their best to get our team back together and fix the problem that we had and then when coach Basma came in she really revamped us,” junior forward Aimee Colla said. “Just in the small amount of time that we had during spring season she really put us into shape and I think this season we’re going to do really well with her.”
Earlier in the spring, the girls traveled down to Central Michigan University for a friendlies tournament where they competed in small sided, seven on seven, scrimmages against other Division II programs.
Basma said that these scrimmages gave her a better idea of where the team is physically, mentally and technically and allowed the players to acclimate to her coaching style. She added that the team had made “consistent improvement” during the spring.
“We have good soccer players. I really walked into a program that has great players and it’s just about giving them the tools now to take their game to the next level,” Basma said. “With everything NMU has to offer, I say this time and time again, there is no reason we shouldn’t be competing at the big stages.”
The lady Wildcats kick off their season in the fall starting with a match against the St. Cloud State Huskies Sept. 1 and the Winona State Warriors Sept. 3.
The last time the ’Cats faced off against these teams it end- ed in defeat with Northern losing 2-0 against St. Cloud and 3-2 against Winona.
