Printer Friendly Version - Guilford Boys’ Soccer Focused on Team Culture in Second Half Push

Senior captain Wyatt Sprenkle uses his vocalization skills to take charge and act as a strong leader for the Guilford boys’ soccer team this fall. Photo by Ken Marangell/The Courier

Midfielder Stephano Jarrin makes an impact on both sides of the ball for Guilford boys’ soccer, and he is keeping a team focused that’s currently 7-2-2 on the season. Photo by Ken Marangell/The Courier

Overcoming obstacles is inevitable when it comes to anything in life, and sports are no exception to that. After coming in hot and facing a bump in the road, the Guilford boys’ soccer team is well on its way to finishing the season on a high note.

Currently 7-2-2 on the season, first-year Head Coach Noah Rattet and the Grizzlies are finding that midseason stride and learning that not everything is sunshine and roses all the time.

“The first half of the season has been great. We started off 4-0, but a few injuries in the recent weeks have slowed us down,” said Rattet, who has been involved with the Guilford community on and off for the past eight years and previouly coached junior varsity (JV) and freshman soccer for the high school. “However, we just won against West Haven on 9/30 during our breast cancer awareness night, which gave the team a confidence boost.”

Leading the charge for the Grizzlies this fall are three senior captains in Wyatt Sprenkle (midfielder), Daniel Perez Betancur (midfielder), and Stephano Jarrin (midfielder). What makes the trio able to work so well together is the differing skill sets each one brings to the table to keep the team focused and on track.

“Each captain brings a different aspect of leadership. They all embody the intensity and attitude required to play at the varsity level, both on and off the field,” said Rattet. “Wyatt is very vocal and almost acts as another coach, while Daniel and Stephano lead on a more individual basis. They may not at all times be the captains to give big pregame talks, but they know how to motivate their teammates individually, especially recognizing when someone is struggling and offering support.”

The Grizzlies have five remaining regular season games left on the schedule before heading into the SCC and Class L State Tournament. Last season, Guilford was defeated in the quarterfinals of the SCC Tournament by the No. 4 seed Cheshire with a final score of 7-0. This year, the squad hopes to build on that and make an even deeper run on the big postseason stages. In order to do that, everyone has to adapt to the situation in front of them, and learn to keep their eyes on the prize.

“Since this is my first year, I’m not focusing on the record. My priority is for the entire program to learn my coaching style and to embrace the mentality and culture that I am establishing. This foundation will be crucial for future seasons,” said Rattet. “The biggest goal for my coaching staff and myself is to improve the team’s mental strength. We want the players to understand that making mistakes is part of growth, both as athletes and as individuals.”

This year’s rendition of the club returns 10 players from last year’s varsity team. The remainder of the 25-man roster is playing varsity soccer for the first time.

“These returning players, along with the captains, are the ones I rely on to help lead the team,” said Rattet. “Their experience can help guide the newer players, both on the field and in understanding the expectations of varsity soccer.”

During the past three seasons, both the junior and senior classes have had three different coaches every year. Having new teammates can be a challenge in and of itself, and having to learn a new coach’s strategy each season make things even tougher. Rattet is focused on helping the boys handle the transition with ease this year, and he hopes to establish a culture that can carry throughout the program in the long run.

“We’ve faced several challenges. This is the third head coach these seniors and juniors have had during their time at Guilford High School,” Rattet said. “Each coach has their own strategy and philosophy, which makes it difficult for players to adjust each year to new expectations. Instead of dwelling on mistakes, we want them to learn from them, and use them as opportunities to improve and build confidence.”

The Grizzlies are currently leading the Quinnipiac Division in the SCC, with a division record of 3-0 and an SCC conference record of 4-1-2 to go along with the overall record of 7-2-2.

Guilford has had four shutout games so far this season, against Hamden (3-0), West Haven (2-0), Lyman Hall (6-0), and Fairfield Prep (1-0).

With the regular season coming to an end in the next couple weeks, Rattet hopes to see the players enjoy every minute of being out on the field, and focus less on what it says on the stat sheet but rather building a foundational formula for future success.

“Our focus is on bringing back the fun of playing soccer and building confidence in our abilities as a team. I want the team to form strong bonds, enjoy playing together, and take pride in representing the school,” said Rattet. “Records are not my main concern; I’m focused on building a program. As a young head coach, I plan to be here for a while and hope to build Guilford High School boys’ soccer into a team that everyone wants to beat, just like it has been in the past.”

Rattet is assisted by Ian Shannon (voluntary assistant varsity coach), Braden Stephens (JV coach), and Steven Page (freshman coach).

The Grizzlies varsity roster is comprised of seniors Evan Artega (defender), Jameson Benben (goalkeeper), Milo De Luca (defender), Andrew Fappiano (defender), Nathan Iozzia (defender), Jarrin, Pierce Pappert (midfielder), Perez Betancurt, Sprenkle, and Grant Waehner (forward); juniors Carter Gagnon (defender), Vincent Malatesta (forward), Matteo Pelissero (forward), Nikolas Piironen (midfielder), Andrew Voytek (midfielder), and Blake Meder (forward); sophomores Kieran Keefe (midfielder), Conor Farrell (defender), and Liam Kane (goalkeeper); and freshmen Gabriel Sprenkle (defender) and Juan-Pablo Palacios (midfielder).