Eisenhower senior soccer player Jackson McCoy is most excited for the season to get underway, as well as the start of league play in the AVCTL Division II.
“I’m most excited for the season to start and my individual league to start as well,” McCoy said.
McCoy spent the offseason preparing with conditioning sessions and plenty of time on the field. The extra work allowed him to get more touches on the ball while building chemistry with both returning players and newcomers.
“Over summer, we had conditioning that I ran,” McCoy said. “We have just played a bunch, so I have gotten a lot of touches on the ball and built good team chemistry with all the new and returning players.”
One of McCoy’s biggest areas of focus this season is his shooting. As a defender, he does not often have opportunities to get into the attack, making it important for him to capitalize when those chances come.
“I want to improve on my shooting this year,” McCoy said. “Since I play defense, I don’t get the opportunity to score much, so I want to score with the limited chances I’ll have this year.”
McCoy used the summer to work on his shooting during small-sided games, which also helped him improve his ability to maintain possession and create opportunities in tight spaces.
“We played a bunch of small-sided games this year, so I have been able to work on shooting more and keeping the ball in tighter spaces,” McCoy said.
McCoy recorded three assists last season while helping Eisenhower finish with a 10-6-1 record. His defensive efforts earned him first-team all-league honors.
This season, McCoy wants to add more offensive production to his résumé. He has set a goal of scoring at least five goals and recording at least three assists while earning first-team all-state recognition.
As a team, McCoy has even bigger ambitions. Eisenhower is looking to bring home some hardware, whether that comes in the form of a regional championship or a state title.
“As a team, I want to win some sort of hardware this year, whether that may be a regional title or a state championship,” McCoy said.
With only five home games on the schedule, McCoy also wants Eisenhower to take full advantage of playing in front of its home crowd.
“We also only have five home games, so I would like to go undefeated at home,” McCoy said.
McCoy also has his sights set on the top of the AVCTL Division II standings. After contributing primarily on defense last season, he hopes his improved shooting can give Eisenhower another weapon as it pursues a league championship.
“I would also like to try for first in our league, AVCTL DII,” McCoy said.
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