Jeremy McGinnis prefers the KISS approach when it comes to playing soccer.
No, not the smoochy kind.
He prefers K-I-S-S: “keep it simple, stupid.”
“The hardest part of this game is to keep it simple,” the Allen Community College women’s soccer coach said.
To that end, McGinnis is looking to a batch of newcomers with a full understanding of the sport to help lead the way for the Lady Red Devils, who open their delayed season with a match at Southwestern College in Winfield Monday. Another road game follows Wednesday at Highland before ACC’s home-opener next Saturday against Central Community College.
Typically, soccer season starts at the beginning of the fall semester, but was pushed back to the spring because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
That means an 18-month time gap between official soccer games.
While he’s grateful for the delay to April — cold, wet weather in February and March would have made for a miserable start — McGinnis senses his players are raring to go.
“We’re finally getting to start,” he said.
The 2021 Red Devils return a handful of key performers, plus a number of newcomers ready to lead the charge.
Among the returnees is Dorothy Usher of Farnham, England, who was unable to get back onto campus until the spring semester because of COVID-related travel visa delays.
“We’ve got a really good group of girls, great pieces, who couldn’t make it here until January,” McGinnis said. “But when they got here, they’ve been game-changers for us.”
Two newcomers, twin sisters Yasmin and Mia Evans, also hail from Great Britain.
“Their decision-making and soccer IQ are tremendous,” McGinnis said. “They know exactly how to play the game, exactly how to use the space. They know how to do the ‘simple stuff’ that can make it hard.
“These girls have really shown this spring that we can put some pieces together,” he concluded.
Nicole Cortez, a sophomore out of Overland Park, will man the middle of the field once again. “She’s very technically sound,” McGinnis said.
Ashton Duerkson, a sophomore out of Wichita, had suited previously as a wing, but now will be counted on at outside back.
