Coats works on building confidence on boys' team
By GEORGIA PURDY Newsboy Correspondent

Newsboy photo/Georgia Purdy JASPER'S AFFAN ZAFFAR takes the ball from the downed Palestine defender as teammate Chris Guadian comes in to assist.

In two weeks of district competition, the Jasper Bulldog soccer team played to one tie and three losses.

Coach Chris Coats believes that the biggest challenge his team currently faces is lack of confidence in themselves.

"How we approach the game mentally is what is keeping us from achieving our full potential," Coats said. "It's hard to make them believe they can win when they have been used to losing for so long."

The boys' soccer team has had a parade of coaches over the years. Coats and assistant Jake Smith took over this season, hoping to form a cohesive squad, improve morale, and produce some wins. To that end, these youngsters do appear to be an improved team with a lot of potential; and they began the season with a visible show of enthusiasm.

While the enthusiasm isn't absent, district losses have somewhat damp- ened those first exuberant hopes for a successful season.

JASPER GOALIE DAVID BECK scoops up a shot during last week's contest with Palestine, who considered one of the better soccer squads in the area. Palestine defeated Jasper 5-0. Newsboy photo/Georgia Purdy

In the first district game, the Bulldogs were ahead 2-0 until the last 15 minutes.

Issac Grindstaff was called for a penalty that occurred inside the penalty box, awarding Hudson a penalty kick.

"Beck missed blocking the shot by just a couple of inches," Coats said. "The tying goal came off a fluke rebound shot which was a result of our breakdown mentally. We ended up typing because we got satisfied. We thought we had the game won and anytime that happens, the outcome is usually not in your favor."

In game two, Jacksonville prevailed in a one-sided 6-1 victory.

"That was an improvement over last year when the team lost 11-0," Coats said. "We scored late in the second half on a header from Ernesto Medrano, resulting in a free-kick by Ossama Zafar."

Then came the 5-0 loss to Palestine, one of the district's toughest teams, on Jan. 22.

Newsboy photo/Georgia Purdy JASPER'S ZACH RIGGINS battles a Palestine defender for the ball during last week's game. Palestine defeated Jasper 5-0.

"Palestine is the best team in the district next to Nacogdoches," Coats said.

"We played well against them in the first half and the score was only 1-0 at the end of the period. We just broke down mentally in the second half."

The team lost 6-1 against Center Friday night, a game they should have won, Coats said.

The weather was cold and rainy and the team did not play well under those conditions.

"We are a better team than Center," he said. "We let the weather get to us and did not play well at all."

Still, it is the lack of confidence, Coats believes, that is the biggest obstacle.

His goal is to continue productive practice sessions and keep up the encouragement.

"Our only problem is what we bring to the table mentally," he said "We have to get confident in ourselves. We have the talent and the ability; we just need to believe this."

Newsboy photo/Georgia Purdy JASPER'S ISSAC GRINDSTAFF goes high for a pass.

The Bulldogs play Henderson at home Friday at 6 p.m.