Brighton High School Boys Soccer Preview

Before The Season, Casey Campbell of Great Lakes Post interviewed Brighton Boys Soccer Coach Mark Howell to preview the upcoming season

How ready are you to start this season?

Howell: We are excited and ambitious to get going! With that said, this season begins a bit earlier than previous years and with only 2 practices prior to our first game, we will have a lot more preparation to do and work to be had to groom into the team we want to be. We are a talented group, and just need to go through the rigors of game situations to assess what clicks and what needs more work and tweaking as we go. Each season is a process, and we trust the process to hopefully be as strong as possible come October.


Who are some of your top returners this year? 

Howell: We return a lot experienced and talented players this year, as well as added a lot of strength from young players that have really matured on and off the field this past year and will now play pivotal roles. Any team you can return 3rd-year varsity players, naturally, you will lean on them a little harder than 1st-year players because of their experience through it all before. We are fortunate to have 22 strong players on the roster this year, each with a pivotal role in our success this year. Josh Adam (Jr), Drew Tappen (Sr), and JD Vandermergel (Sr) are our 3 captains this year and have a great hold of the team’s respect. Their leadership will shape our season and navigate the ebb and flow of the KLAA grind.

How do you think The KLAA will fair in Soccer? 

Howell: As usual, the KLAA looks to be one of if not the toughest conference in the state. As difficult as it is, we see it as a blessing as it helps prepare our team over the course of the 18 game season to be as ready as possible for a tournament run, which is our ultimate goal each year. We look forward to the high level of competition and see how we can stack up against some of the best programs in the state.

What is your outlook on this season? 

Howell: Looking forward to getting into it, growing from our mistakes and building a stronger foundation from our strengths. We have a great group and mixture of players experienced and new to the varsity level, but many with a lot of club success that we expect to help translate into confidence on the pitch for us this fall. We have high expectations and hope to see those come to fruition through hard work and attention to detail through our growth process.