By Embry Smith

For his first-ever year as a head coach at the Ridge, Coach Farnell’s season has gone just about as perfect as it can, starting the first half undefeated, and going into the second half strong, beating major teams like Micah Mountain and Walden Grove, and producing one of the best JV records that Ironwood has seen. Will this team keep its record and go all the way? With the momentum they’re at right now, the team seems unstoppable.

When asked what Coach Farnall would like his team to be known for, he responds, “I have three coaching values which I always focus on when coaching a team: Competitive, Educational, and Enjoyment. These values ensure that players always understand why they are playing and, as such, become better players. From these core values, the one that this team will be known for is being competitive, which means always giving our maximum effort, and fighting until the end.”
Coach Farnall believes that the game of soccer is much more than a sport. He says, “A player’s mentality and mindset are just as important, if not more important than their physical conditioning.” According to Farnall, if a player had all the fitness and physical attributes needed to play soccer, but were constantly in their head, they wouldn’t make it far. Coach Farnall believes that a good mindset is the key to success in sports.

Coach Farnall has coached at Ironwood several times before as a trainer, but this is his first time representing the Ridge as a head coach, and it seems like it was meant to be. Coach has taken complete control over this new team with the addition of the talented freshmen, new to the high school soccer scene. He has pushed their skill, potential, and relationship with one another.

When asked about his biggest surprise since taking over this team, he answers, “I have been very impressed with how the team members support each other. In both practice and games, players seem to enjoy their teammates and always have a positive attitude towards one another. I believe this is the key reason for this team’s success.”

Coach Farnell has been the perfect fit to coach this JV team, providing both the players and supporters with an amazing season.