From the Williams Baptist College Sports Information Department

WALNUT RIDGE -- The Williams Baptist Soccer team opens the season on Wednesday, August 31, against Freed-Hardeman University, with new faces and high hopes.

The key new face is the one on the sidelines. Former Williams soccer player Shane Stolz has taken over as the new head coach. Stolz graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration from WBC in 2009.  After working two years at Stephens Inc., an investment corporation in Little Rock, AR, Stolz had an opportunity to return to Williams and coach soccer, and he couldn’t pass it up.

“We are trying to change the culture of the team,” said Stolz.  “We want to be a hard working team that possesses the ball. All of our returners have been very good leaders. Our guys are buying into the system so far. If we are better at the end of the day than we were at the beginning it was a successful day, and we are trying to do that every day.”

Stolz thinks his players all have the ability to play a fast paced, possession style game, and he also thinks this style gives his team the best chance to be successful.

“We have a South American feel about our team.” Stolz went on to say.  “These guys have grown up playing the short possession style of soccer that I want my team to play.”

When assistant coach Eric Smith was asked to describe the upcoming season in one word, the word he chose was “New.”  “It’s very new, everything about it,” said Smith. “Coach Stolz is building on the program, but bringing in new philosophies, as well as many new young players.”

Thirteen of the 21 players are new to the Williams soccer program. “We have a very young nucleus that is energetic and ready to go,” said Stolz. “We are looking for contributions out of many of our new guys.”

Lucas Carmargo, a freshman from Brazil, scored a goal in an exhibition played against Northwest Mississippi Junior College last week. Williams won the friendly 2 – 1 with Khalil de Lima scoring the second goal for Williams. De Lima is a sophomore from Brazil and is also a newcomer to the Williams soccer team.

“We looked good for the first 25 minutes,” said Coach Stolz. “After that we got a little tired. We saw a lot of positives but also saw many things we can work on, which is good.”

The Eagles have three upperclassman to go along with a strong nucleus of young players. Harold Owiti, a senior from Kenya, and juniors Esteban Piccinni from Paraguay and Henry Pineda from Green Forest, Ark., will provide experience.

Stolz is looking for leadership and hard work out of his upperclassmen, saying they know that no starting jobs are set in stone, and if they are outworked by a younger player they will end up on the bench. He says having the talented young players helps push the whole team to be better.

“Consistency” was the word Coach Stolz used to describe what he is looking for from his young team.

“A goal of ours is to make the conference tournament for the first time in Williams soccer history. We also want to be a .500 team. We feel that both are very achievable if we play consistently, and the way we know we can.”

The soccer team has a positive outlook on the year, and the players seem energetic and excited about the season. “It’s going to be a good year,” Eagles Captain Lucas Braga said.

The Eagles’ first game is Wednesday, which is also the first day of class at Williams. The game starts at 3:00 p.m.     


Photos Above:

Top Photo: The 2011 Williams Baptist College Men’s Soccer team.

Bottom Photo: WBC welcomes a new head coach this year: Shane Stolz, a 2009 graduate of Williams. He also doubles as the school’s Sports Information Director. 

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Williams Baptist College is a four-year, Christian liberal arts college located in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. DHS Alums Tyler Tanner, a member of the baseball team, and Ryan Windham, a member of the basketball team, are both students at the school.