Builiding a Team

The Luther College Men's Soccer Team has been working hard this pre-season to get themselves into top form on the field with grueling practices, fitness testing, and two-a-days that will push even the fittest players to the limit. But they have been able to enjoy some respite from the physical side of the game with a few well-placed activities that have helped this new team begin to grow together.
There have been a few plot twists this pre-season that have spiced up the day to day grind on the field. The first night, the boys joined Luther's own Kristin Underwood, from the Drama Department, for some theatrical improv games that challenged the team's ability to think quickly, be vulnerable with each other, and take risks. They came away with enough memories and laughter to last the whole season. It was a great exoerience for they guys and an introduction to part of the benefits of a Liberal Arts school. It is experiences like this that can give a team the common memories that will unite them for a lifetime.
After breaking down walls with Ms. Underwood , the Luther Men's and Women's team spent a day putting up walls of a house for a local family as they worked with Habitat for Humanity. The activity was arranged by Student's Helping Our Community president and Luther Soccer junior, Jason Block. There was a good amount of singing, a good amout of nailing, and a great amount of learning that took place, and everyone was thankful that they had the opportunity to expend some energy giving back to the community that has given them so much.
The team has run the gambit of challenges this pre-season. While having their thespian and construction skills put to the test , the team was also asked to challenge their fears and tackle the newly built ropes course here on campus. There were several challenging elements, but the team attacked them and were able to overcome their fear of heights and ended up having a great time. Coach Garcia-Prats was even brave enough to climb up over forty feet off the ground and walk along a thin rope without so much as a tremble (at least that is how he tells it).
It is part of Luther Soccer's philosophy that while we will do everything we can to win and be the best we can be on the field, we recognize that it is often these types of experiences which can grow and stretch the student-athletes in ways that they might never be stretched. We think it is our responsibility to grow the whole individual, to give them memories and experiences that will last a lifetime, and we know we can do that without sacrificing on the field performance. We have had a chance to see this team grow and learn together so much in the twelve days, and we look forward to seeing this new-found cameraderie benefit the team on and off the field this season. We look forward to another great year.

2010 is Underway!

On August 18th, the Luther College Men's Soccer Team arrived in Decorah, anxiously awaiting the beginning of their 2010 campaign. An impressive group of first-year students has joined the talented group of returners to form the most talented team Luther has put together in years. Coach Garcia-Prats is excited about the potential of this 2010 team and is working hard to take the talent that exists and form the best team he has ever coached.
With two-a-day practices and fitness tests, pre-season is a physically taxing period for even the fittest of Luther Soccer athletes. The boys have shown resiliency, commitment, and a great desire to become better players and a better team, and have come to every session with energy and a burning to desire to win. They had a great effort in their first pre-season game against North Area Iowa Community College on Friday, August 20th, and hopefully it is a sign of things to come for the Norse.
Luther Soccer looks ahead to several more days of pre-season, as the questions get answered about how good the Norse can be this year. Their next test will come when Grinnell College visits Decorah for a rematch of last year's pre-season game on Friday, August 27th at 8:00 PM.

A New Addition To The Family

The Luther Soccer Family added it's newest member when on December 15, 2009, as Leah Jane Garcia-Prats was born. Now nearly a month old, she has been a joy and has is reputed to be the cutest baby in Decorah. Coach Chris Garcia-Prats and wife Stephanie are overjoyed with the blessing that Leah has been to their lives. Despite the lack of sleep and free time, they are so happy to have a healthy, beautiful daughter. Although Leah obviously can't walk, run, or talk yet, there have been rumors that she has a pretty nice left foot, so time will tell if her soccer genes produce a soccer star. Being a native Iowan and a winter baby, she will surely have thick blood and a hearty spirit, and the Garcia-Prats family are excited to start their family here in Decorah. The Garcia-Prats' send a warm thank-you to everyone who has helped, cooked and prayed for them during this exciting time.

I Hate Shootouts

An up and down season ended with a dull thud on Tuesday night. Sometimes heart, fight, integrity, and a sense of team aren't enough to carry a team on to victory. After 110 minutes of scoreless play, Luther came out one goal short in a penalty shootout to decide the future of the season. After starting well and fighting throughout the game, it looked like Luther had the game in hand. Mark Fernandes fought through a Simpson defender early in the game and looked to be in behind. A goal was sure to come when he put the ball just over the crossbar. As the half closed, Jimmy Laroque appeared to have beaten the keeper to the far post when the ball strayed just wide of the post. The first half closed scoreless, with great performances from sophomore Steve O'Meara, first year Micah Kust, recording his first collegiate start, and sophomore Jake Kessler.
The second half started slowly with Luther struggling to create chances going forward. They defended well and worked hard for each other, with few chances being created on either side. The half closed with a flurry of Luther free-kicks and corners and were unable to capitalize. When Quezada put a low corner into the danger area and it squeaked through to the back post, it seemed Luther would find the goal it was looking for, but they were unable to convert and let another chance slip though their fingers. But Luther were gifted a new life when Simpson was awarded a penalty kick after a hand ball in the box and missed low and wide. It seemed as if luck were on the side of the Norse this evening. But it was not to be.
Overtime was more of the same and it looked like both teams had signed a non-aggression pact and had agreed to let a shootout decide things. When the shootout came, Luther had to like its chances with IIAC defensive player of the week in goal and having converted every penalty opportunity this season. Unfortunately, Mike Olson put Luther's first shot just over the top left corner, and Simpson was able to make all five of their shots, leaving the final 5-3 in favor of the Storm. A shootout is a terrible way to lose and does not reflect the better team, but such is the game we love.
In the end, the Luther staff could have not asked more from their team this year. With a conference record that went from 3-4-1 to 5-3 and finishing fourth instead of sixth in conference, the Norse were a stronger team than their record suggests. After a few tough games early in the year in Chicago, the Norse consistently outplayed and out-shot opponents right up to the very end. Things look bright for Luther's future, and we look forward to a great off season and preparation to make our mark next season. Thanks to all the readers, fans, supporters, parents and friends who make the Luther Soccer family and experience so great.

A Night To Remember

The stage was set for a dominant performance for Luther. Under the lights, on senior night, pumpkins carved with the names of our four seniors, finishing at 5-3 in the conference and a chance to end Coe's season, it seemed that everything was going right for the Norse. But the game is a fickle friend, and it does not always do what one thinks it would, and Luther had another one of its patented slow starts. If it wasn't for Steve O'Meara, IIAC defensive player of the week, Luther could have been in trouble. Steve had a huge game for the Norse and was able to add to his conference lead in shutouts in the Norse victory.
The second half was not much better and Luther continued to struggle with creating chances and finding a flow to the game. When Alex Case picked up two yellow cards back to back in the 59th minute, it looked as if things could not get worse for the Norse. But for reasons unknown to nearly everyone involved, it was at that point that Luther started to play up to their potential. They started to create chances and defend with some fervor, and the last third of the game was completely different. It seems that sometimes we have to go a man down in order to start playing better, as was the case with our 3-goal performance against Bethel earlier this year. Perhaps we have some sort of self-deprecation soccer syndrome, where we hurt ourselves in order to play better. We need a psychologist to analyze our team to figure things out.
The game was scoreless at the end of regulation and we went into overtime a man down but with spirits high. Our spirits soared even higher when first-year Melchor Quezada received the ball wide from senior captain Jimmy Laroque. Melchor picked up his head to find a streaking senior captain Adam Pyzdrowski. With the touch of an angel he lofted the ball just in behind the reeling Coe defenders onto Pyz's run. The goalie came out to challenge but Pyz touched the ball over the head of the onrushing keeper and found the back of the net six minutes into overtime. As the team rushed past the distraught Coe defenders and had a 32-man dog-pile in front of the home supporters, there was a collective sigh of relief from the sideline.
What a great way to end an interesting day. A beautiful goal from senior Adam Pyzdrowski on senior night in front of his family. It was just what we needed heading into the biggest game of the year for the first round of the IIAC post-season tournament at home against Simpson on Tuesday.