Jimmy Hall had a tough task during the final exhibition game of the preseason: coaching against his wife.
Hall, the new interim head coach for the Fort Lewis College women’s soccer team, led the Skyhawks’ varsity in the annual alumnae game. Participating on the alumnae team was Hall’s wife, former FLC player Samantha Scales.
“It is always fun to see the alumni. You get to see some girls that just graduated, and my wife was going against us out there, too,” said Hall, a new dad, as well. “I think that is the most talented alumni team we’ve had.”
The Skyhawks secured a 3-1 victory against their predecessors and old teammates, but the win didn’t come easy. It was just another sign of how young the 2014 FLC team is.
“The team is extremely young, and some little things have been disappointing,” said Hall, who took over for Damian Clarke after Clarke’s resignation in July. “Still, we saw the girls grow and get better. They struggled (Saturday) but got better in the second half, and I anticipate that all season.”
Hall said the ceiling is high for his young squad, which is without a senior this season.
FLC junior goalkeeper Caitlyn Espinosa has established herself as a leader on the team. Hall has been impressed with her communication skills.
“She wants more from the girls, but she knows how to ask and be positive,” Hall said of his goalie.
Also stepping up into leadership roles are sophomore midfielders Carolyn Archer and Jordan Hix along with freshman defender Kyleigh Wierenga.
“For sophomores and freshmen to be taking leadership roles already, that is big for them to step into,” said Hall, an FLC alumnus, as well.
Hall said he has six forwards all capable of starting, making his job of selecting two starters even more difficult.
Among those six is junior Brooke Milliet, a Durango High School alumna.
“We are having a lot of fun right now figuring each other out and how we want to play,” Milliet said. “It is fun and really fresh.”
Milliet said adjusting to a new head coach hasn’t been very difficult, especially considering Hall had been an assistant on the team during all of the current players’ careers.
“That adjustment has not been as big as one would think. We are still playing the same methods we’ve always used, but there are some different aspects to it,” Milliet said. “Jimmy brings a lot to the team.”
Milliet said the strength of the team is its work ethic more than anything. She said every player is working hard each day to prove themselves.
FLC received goals in the alumnae game Saturday from sophomore Courtney Baltizar, freshman Savannah Boarman and redshirt freshman Shayla Malecki.
Scoring for the alumnae was Hayley Hollenga, who holds the FLC career records for assists (30), games played (88), goals (43) and points (116).
“I’m tired, for sure, but it is definitely a lot of fun to get everyone back together and play again,” said Hollenga, who played at FLC from 2007 to 2011. “This year’s team is looking good. They were disciplined and in shape, running around us. It’s hard to tell how good they will be when they’re playing us, but they looked good, and I think Jimmy will do a good job. I’m excited to see what the season has in store for them.”
After playing three exhibition games, the Skyhawks will get their first chance to find out what they’re all about in a regular-season game when they will begin play at 3 p.m. Thursday against Texas Woman’s in the Fort Lewis Women’s Soccer Classic.
“I don’t know what the future holds, but I believe it will hold good things for us,” Milliet said. “We are becoming better and better every game and practice, and we are just starting to look like the team that we should be and are going to be.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
