CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team is continuing to progress throughout the summer with a number of student-athletes competing with developmental teams in the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA), National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), and Premier Development League (PDL).
"It is very important for our players to continue to develop over the summer," said head coach Hylton Dayes. "We have a lot of young players that need to play at a high level which will help them with their development and also prepare them for the upcoming fall season. We want them to also continue to work on specific areas of their games that were identified by our coaching staff. The physical component is important as well since they will be playing against older, more experienced players."
Three local Bearcats are staying in the Queen City for the summer with JJ Iroh (Mason, Ohio/Mason), Ryan Melink (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland), and Austin Smythe (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day/Radford) competing with the Cincinnati Dutch Lions of the PDL. Newcomer Malik Suleman (Kumasi, Ghana/Osei Kyeretwie/Cincinnati State) is training with the team.
"We are excited to have a number of guys playing with the Cincinnati Dutch Lions. It is great to have four of our guys playing locally so we can watch them train and play. It is a good partnership between our program and the Dutch Lions. They have a good team, excellent coaches, and a first-class training environment."
Additional Bearcats are in action in their home areas with Peyton Mowery (Troy, Ohio/Troy) playing with the NPSL's Dayton Dynamo while Cameron Panley (Beverly Hills, Mich./Brother Rice) and Pearce Skinner are competing with the Michigan Stars. Furthermore, Elias Helbig (Denver, Colo./East/Creighton) is suiting up with the Colorado Rapids' PDL squad.
Three student-athletes have ventured to different parts of the country to play including Christian Hay (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day) and David Sanz (Santander, Spain/IE La Marina) playing with the Myrtle Beach Mutiny while Patrick Nielsen (Copenhagen, Denmark/Rungsted Gymnasium) is in action with the Nashville Soccer Club.
"Patrick [Nielsen] and David [Sanz] are in Nashville and Myrtle Beach, respectively, and get to see different parts of the country which freshens them up and allows them to get a good perspective on things. You try to make sure that every player is getting out of the summer what they need not just from soccer but also from social and physical standpoints as well."
With many players landing on various developmental league teams, Dayes feels like it is a testament to the quality of players within the UC program.
"Quality players are in demand in summer soccer. A lot of PDL teams scout in order to try to find the best players for their teams. We have good relationships with a number of PDL and NPSL organizations. They are always reaching out to us about our players. I think it says a lot about the quality of players we have that the majority of our players are finding the right playing environments in the summer. Ultimately, their successes are a reflection on our program and helps us in the future."
Year-round soccer can be taxing on even the most dedicated player. Dayes believes that a period of rest and relaxation away from the pitch is necessary for his players.
"We think it is important for our guys to also refresh themselves at some point in the summer. In general, we ask them to finish a few weeks before the preseason so they can rest and relax. We don't want them to come back for the preseason stale, injured, or burnt out. You have to find the right balance of playing but also taking some time away from the game"
Overall, summer development is a vehicle for being at peak performance for the fall season. Dayes believes his team is well on its way.
"Everything we do in our periodization and preparation is geared towards getting our players ready for that four-month window in the fall so we can have the best possible season. Hopefully this group is primed to be playing its best soccer come the fall."
The Bearcats' preseason training will begin in August with their first of three exhibition matches taking place on Friday, Aug. 11 against Detroit Mercy at 7 p.m. at Gettler Stadium. Admission to the match is free.
Bearcats Using Summer to Further Development
