As has been well-documented, Yorktown will have a new look on defense this season.
That defense will be anchored by a first-year starter in goal, Trinity College-bound senior Derek Koelsch.
After strong showings in the summer and fall, Koelsch has been spending the winter working hard to be physically and mentally prepared for the season.
* Player’s perspective archive
* For background info on Derek, click here.
What have you been doing to get ready for the season?
Many of us have been lifting and running on our own. This winter I have been training at the Parisi Speed School at Club Fit. We have also been going on the wall and practicing in the gym a few times a week.
Will the preseason be especially important this year with several new starters and first-year varsity players?
Everyone on the team is very excited to get outside and start off the preseason. Because of all of the starters that we lost from last year, practice should be very intense and competitive as people start to compete for starting spots. Although we lost a lot of starters, I am confident that we have the talent and drive to do some damage this year. The goal for this Yorktown team is the same as every Yorktown team – to win Sectionals and then a State Championship.
What were your thoughts on how the team, with a lot of new contributors, performed in the fall?
I was very happy with how we played this fall. To everyone else, there may seem to be a lot of new faces this year; however many of us have played together since third grade and that really showed at our fall tournaments. It is no secret that we are inexperienced on the defensive end of the field this year, but I am confident that Coach Lodey and Coach Doerr will do a good job getting us ready.
What are your thoughts on playing the John Jay game right off the bat this year?
It’s always fun to play John Jay. Over the past 5 years we have developed a very strong rivalry with them. A lot of us grew up going to camps with them and playing on the same summer teams. We will be ready, and I am sure that Coach Schurr will have them ready as well. It should be a great way to start off our very tough schedule this season.
What do you think the strength of your team will be this year?
Our attack is definitely going to be a force to be reckoned with this season. Kevin and Remy are both very experienced and have been showing that so far this preseason. Sophomores Frank Fusco and Connor Gately will fit into that third spot very well. Fusco can score goals if teams pay too much attention to Kevin and Connor is an extremely good feeder, perfect for Remy and Kevin.
I expect senior midfielder Joey Porcelli to have a very big season as well. He has worked extremely hard this off-season and is more than ready to take on a leadership role this year. He has always been great between the lines for us and I expect him to score more goals this year too. Steve Burke is a very good take-away defenseman and has waited a long time for his opportunity to prove it. I think he will give a lot of good attackmen trouble this year.
* For Yorktown’s roster, click here.
* For Yorktown’s schedule, click here.
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Posted In: Player's perspective
Derek – Enjoyed reading your thoughts. Have a successful and fun senior season.
Derek,
Cool interview man. Have fun this year in cage, and beat John Jay.
Patrick Johnson
Good luck Derek! You’ve put in a lot of hard work and there’s no doubt you’re going to come up big this year!
Nice job, Derek. We are all confident that you will have a great year this year and lead the Ytown defense. All of your hard work will pay off. Have a great season. Go Town!