The Holy Trinity Academy Knights have hit the refresh button on the pitch.
HTA goes into the Foothills Athletic Council Senior Boys soccer circuit this week with a healthy dose of new blood both on the field and on the sidelines.
“We’re a young group with only one Grade 12 player,” said Tarik Misho, first-year co-coach with the Knights. “There is lots of talent as usual on the HTA team and we’re just trying to come in with this fighting attitude of working hard constantly, challenging every ball and continuing to overcome obstacles.”
None bigger than dealing with adversity.
The re-tooled roster brings about its own set of challenges both of the physical and mental variety as the Knights look to take the next step and break through at the zone level.
“With these guys we don’t get to practice much together because they are all on different club teams,” Misho added. “The moment things go wrong, they tend to falter. Now we’re working on this idea of attitude and how to approach each game and each challenge.
“Teams like Brooks and Cochrane and Canmore, those are teams we’ve had problems with over the past few years and that’s going to be our goal is to be able to meet them at their level and challenge in every way possible.”
Paramount to the squad’s challenge is the lone senior on the roster, attacking midfielder Grayson Dyck.
Leadership, commitment, the captain brings everything to the table for the Knights.
“He’s a true believer in what we’re trying to build here as a team,” Misho said.
“Especially with the attitude and the hard work and constantly trying to motivate his teammates.
“He knows what it takes to get those results and it’s his last year so it’s really meaningful for him.”
Grade 11 Ryan Grell forms the backbone of the Knights defence who’ve benefited from an influx of talented high school freshmen. Grade 10 wingers Julian Jenkins and David Bowers along with midfielders Mark Eadie, Ethan Pearson and Aria Kabganian along with newcomer to the sport Ethan Miller have all stepped up to the plate for the Knights.
HTA opened its campaign with a pair of exhibition losses to Brooks and Cochrane, two of the perennial powerhouses in the South Central Zone, last week.
The Knights and Foothills Falcons renew acquaintances for the Okotoks derby on May 4. Opening kick-off for the cross-town contest is 4:30 p.m. at Kinsmen field.
