With the coming of the new soccer season at Atlantic Highschool there also emerges the question about Atlantic’s new girls’ soccer coach, Amy Sachs. Dan Vargeson, a teacher and coach at AHS, has been coaching soccer for the past 4 years. He is and will continue to be a part of the girls’ soccer program; however, due to his busy schedule, he decided that at the end of the last season, he would be stepping down from the position of head coach.
Sachs has been involved with the sport of soccer since she was 5, and continued to play throughout college. Sachs chose to fill this position because it was always something she wanted to do. Sachs said, “I used to talk to my grandma about the position, and when she passed away, and the opportunity presented itself, I knew I had to take it.” Sachs points out that she wants the girls to get more knowledge and confidence about the game this upcoming season. Sachs wants both the players and herself as a coach to grow throughout the season. She highlights this by saying that soccer has “taught me how to be a team player, and when it comes to a team, you have to work together to get to the finish line.”
Sachs is having to move to help better fill this soccer position and said the biggest struggle she faces is the changes she and her family will have to make to get adjusted to the environment here in Atlantic, Iowa.
Teammate Clara Kennedy also shared her thoughts about the upcoming season. Kennedy said, “We are going to miss Varg, but welcoming the new coach would help grow ourselves and our team on and off the field.”
Senior Presleigh Reese said, this upcoming season, she’s really excited for their team to get back onto the field and see how far they can go this year. With their team getting a new coach, she’s excited for us to get to know her and see how her coaching is and what she brings to the game. She said, “I hope this season, our team comes together and trusts each other to play positions while having fun.” She’s most excited to get back on the field with her teammates and play.
A lot of the soccer girls expressed their eagerness to learn more about Sachs’ coaching style. Sachs says she likes to “Have a mix of fun and competitive,” she believes that they are both crucial to the game for Sachs. Though this new position faces challenges and is a learning opportunity for the team and Sachs, she hopes this season everyone has a chance to grow, and looking back on the season, hopes they will all be proud and feel as if they “left their hearts out on the field.”
