By Patrick McCready
In Tukwila, Washington, the bar was set high for the women’s soccer teams of the final four in the Northwest Athletic Conference. The Peninsula College Pirates were one of these teams. Although the Pirate women’s soccer team didn’t get a three-peat, they scored in a very different way.
“I was impressed by how our teams performed this year,” PC President Luke Robins said. With an overall record of 19-2-2 and a total amount of goals let in to be 4 (an NWAC record), the women’s soccer team is nothing to scoff at. The men’s team had an overall record of 13-2-4.
“We had a talented group of athletes this year,” Robins said.
The teams are dominant, and they have been for the past five years. “There are a lot of factors, but I think one key is that we treat our players well. We don’t cut corners on them, and when they leave, they often feel like they have had a great experience,” Kanyon Anderson, head coach for women’s and men’s soccer said.
“We typically have great depth at every position and very good athletes,” Anderson said. This goes back to Coach Anderson in some respects. “We have good coaches in place,” Robins said. Rick Ross, director of athletics and student programs, also said, “We had outstanding players, we have a great team of coaches, and our head coach Anderson did a tremendous job taking on both teams this year. I’m very proud of what they accomplished.”
Recruitment is a huge component of the offseason. “I will be focusing on the usual recruiting zones. I go to certain tournaments and camps across the northwest, Alaska and Hawaii. In the digital age much of it is done through email and texts too,” Anderson said.
“On the women’s side we lose a lot of talent. We will be looking for a second goalkeeper although we have an absolute star in Manaia Siania-Unutoa for next year. On the men’s side we will need to replace a major portion of our midfield. Both teams have great freshman classes returning,” Anderson said.
In the recruiting process being an ethical student is one of the best qualities you can have especially out of the classroom. “Character is a bigger factor than grades. Often they go hand in hand but not always. Some of the best people we have had in the program have struggled in the classroom. I am all right with that as long as they work hard and are good to the people in the community,” Anderson said.
A press release by Ross announced that both of the teams had an unprecedented seven players on the All-Academic Team for the women and six players for the men for a combined 13 players. This marks the third straight year that the Pirate program has led the NWAC in the number of the players earning that award.
The NWAC finals are always a goal they will try to achieve especially next year. “I think the students will see a hungry Peninsula College program. We want those championship trophies back and I think that will be visible from the team when we step on the field,” Anderson said. As Ross points out, “That’s our goal every year, so yes, I have every expectation that we’ll be there with both teams next year.”
Looking forward to the next season, the athletic staff said that excellence is always a huge priority for the soccer staff and for the students who watch. “My first goal is to reach our potential. If we do that, other things will fall into place: a West Division title, NWAC championship, players laughing and enjoying their experience,” Anderson said.
To try and get the teams back in the driver seat next year the staff is putting everything it can into next season.
“We’ll do everything in our power to put them in that position. If things go our way, we’ll be bringing the NWAC men’s and women’s trophies back home in 2015,” Ross said.