Winning mentality is an understatement.
As a new addition to the coaching staff, assistant coach Kelly Altman
brings all kinds of experience to the High Point University men’s soccer team.
Head Coach Dustin Fonder believes that Altman’s experience in big games will help the team greatly.
Who could blame him?
Altman at Trinity
In 11 years as a player and coach at Trinity University in Texas,
Altman won four SCAC conference championships, a Division III National
championship, and at Trinity had an 8-4-0 record against Division I
opponents.
More importantly, during his time as coach, he led the soccer team to
an amazing 96-9-6 record and the four previously mentioned SCAC
conference championships.
Coach Fonder believes the main thing Altman will bring to this team
is a high level of energy, something he felt his team was lacking at
times last season.
“I haven’t played in eight years, but my intensity level hasn’t changed one bit,” said Altman.
Coming To HPU
Altman became familiar with HPU several years ago.
As the head coach for San Antonio’s Central Catholic High School in
2009, Altman learned all about HPU when the university was recruiting
then-student Todd Ray, who is now a senior defender for the Panthers.
Altman came back on HPU’s radar when he met up with the Panthers
assistant coach E.J. O’Keeffe at a camp at Wake Forest. Later in the
summer, Altman was approached by Fonder about the open coaching
position, and he accepted.
As Altman has come to find out, the business side of things is
different for a Division I school as opposed to a Division III school,
like Trinity.
However, he has embraced the greater responsibility and has not let it affect his coaching mentality.
“Soccer doesn’t change, no matter where you go,” said Altman.
This Season
Fonder and Altman all have high expectations for the season.
From Fonder’s perspective, the core of returning players is better
than last season because they have a better mindset and more experience.
Altman believes the team will make the NCAA tournament, either by
having a great regular season or by winning the conference tournament.
“I wouldn’t have left Trinity after 11 years if I didn’t believe in what Coach Fonder was doing here,” said Altman.
HPU was ranked 6th in the National Soccer Coaches Association of
America (NSCAA) South Atlantic poll on Aug. 28, seeming to confirm
Fonder and Altman’s expectations for a great season from the Panthers.
Related Articles
Men's Soccer continues to climb in national polls
Burdon and Yearwood shine early for men's soccer
No comments:
Post a Comment