Kick it off Mariner girls prep for soccer season </MCC HEAD>

Story last updated at 10:11 PM on Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Kick it off Mariner girls prep for soccer season

By Aaron Selbig
Staff Writer

When the Homer High girls' soccer team takes to the pitch for the first time this season -- against Grace Christian in Anchorage on April 18 -- they will be led by a new head coach who, like her team, just wants to have fun.

"There's a ton of laughter at our practices coupled with hard work," said Coach Julie Barnes. "One of my beliefs is that sports should be a positive enhancement to life and shouldn't be stressful. I'm pretty competitive and I take things seriously, but part of the whole package is having fun."

Photo by Aaron Selbig

Goalkeeper Lauren Cashman works on her footwork during a March 30 Homer girls varsity soccer practice.

Smiles and laughter abounded at a practice session Monday, the start of the team's fourth week of preparation, but there also was plenty of conditioning, sweating and especially running. The practice began and ended with sprints.

After warm-ups, however, the team engaged in an unusual stretching routine, counting off their stretches in various foreign languages and funny accents. From there, it was on to passing drills and perfecting the fine art of receiving and delivering the ball with the inside and outside of both feet.

Instructing her girls to "strike the ball with confidence," Barnes participated in the drills in her socks.

"It's going really well," she said afterward. "This is a great group who is dedicated and has positive energy. We're really excited to make the season a fun one for them."

Barnes, originally from Philadelphia, brings a wealth of coaching experience to her first year at Homer High. She is a former player and coach at Bowdoin College in Maine and has spent the last few years trotting around the country coaching and teaching in Texas and New Hampshire.

Two summers ago, inspired by the song "Alice's Champagne Palace" by Ellis Paul, Barnes came to Homer for the first time.

"I love it here," she said. "The community is very supportive and I'm very psyched to be a part of it."

Looking forward to a "fresh start" this season, Barnes said the strengths of the Mariner soccer team would be their core leadership, athleticism and positive attitude.

Their first home game will be against the Soldotna Stars at 4 p.m. April 28.

Aaron Selbig can be reached at aaronselbig.@homernews.com.