The coaching staff includes Sean Higgins, Brent Stanze, and Mario Wug—three coaches who first met as soccer parents while their boys played together. What started as a conversation on the sidelines turned into a shared commitment to step into coaching and help build something new. In Hallowes Cove Academy’s first season, they coached the Boys JV team, laying the early groundwork for the program’s culture, expectations, and direction.

I didn’t come in with a long coaching résumé, but soccer has been part of my life since I was young. When I heard the coaching role was still open and the program might not exist without a coach in place, it felt like a moment to act. The Rivertown middle school boys deserved a team to represent, a place to belong, and an opportunity to grow through the sport—so I stepped in and got to work.

I’m most excited about building a program that gives middle school boys a team they can be proud to represent. This age is all about development—skills, confidence, and learning how to be a great teammate. Starting from scratch lets us set the tone early: work hard, support each other, and improve every day while building traditions that last. The goal is to create a program that players look forward to being part of and families feel proud to support.

We’re focused on creating a culture where the boys genuinely support each other and feel proud of the way they represent their teammates and school. Middle school is full of learning moments, so we talk a lot about keeping your head up—mistakes happen, but attitude and effort are choices. We want our team to be positive, hard working, and connected, where players celebrate each other, pick each other up, and compete the right way.

We want to be known as a team that plays the right way—high effort, unselfish, and tough to play against. Off the field, we want to be known for respect: being good classmates, good sports, and young men who represent their families and school with pride.

We focus on character first: respect, integrity, and accountability. We want our players to be coachable, to own mistakes, and to respond the right way—by working harder and supporting teammates. The standard is simple: give your best effort, keep a positive attitude, and represent your school with pride.

We balance competition and character by setting clear standards and using every moment as a teaching opportunity. We want the boys to compete hard in practice and games, but also learn how to respond the right way—respect teammates, respect opponents, and handle adversity with maturity. Winning matters, but how we compete matters more, especially at this age.

As the program grows, we see a big opportunity for players to build real friendships and a sense of belonging at school. Soccer becomes something they share—working toward goals together, supporting each other, and creating memories that last beyond a season. For the school community, it’s a chance to build pride and connection, with students, families, and staff coming together to support something that represents who we are.

Motivation hasn’t been difficult—our players have been eager to work and proud to represent the school. We focus on improvement, effort, and team goals, and the motivation takes care of itself.

We’ve kept it pretty simple. Our pre-game routine focuses on light warm-ups, getting loose, and getting our minds right. Nothing flashy—just consistent preparation, a team huddle, and making sure we’re ready to compete together.

What makes us especially proud is how the boys treat each other. They’ve bought into being real teammates—supporting one another, keeping their heads up through mistakes, and staying positive. That kind of attitude is the foundation of a strong program.