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New coach starting soccer preparation early with academics

By Joe Naiman

Village News Correspondent

FALLBROOK, Aug. 30, 2002 -- High school soccer is a Winter sport, but new Fallbrook High School boys varsity coach John Hayck is starting with his team early.

The Warriors won't be in violation of the CIF's rules about the first permissible practice. In fact, the meetings are to ensure that the potential team members stay within the CIF eligibility guidelines with regard to academics.

"One of the big things for me this year is the team struggles in the classroom," Hayck said. "My philosophy is holding them responsible."

By November 16 the varsity roster will be cut to 20 players, but Hayck currently has a pool of 36 potential players. Their first meeting was Aug. 29, which involved Hayck monitoring grade point averages and the year's class schedule for each of his potential players. "Any kid under a 3.0 is going to bring me a grade report every Friday," Hayck noted. "They will be that much more committed."

Winter sports are hit three times with grade reports, and in the past Fallbrook High School has lost players in mid-season due to academic ineligibility or has had players who were not able to join the team until mid-season. Such roster disruptions are not healthy for team chemistry. "I'm really all about chemistry, and I just can't handle having that kind of thing," Hayck remarked.

Hayck takes over the varsity job from Waad Hirmez, who has moved to Mission Viejo. He had been Fallbrook's junior varsity boys coach for the previous two years. After Hirmez informed athletic director Heather Schulte that he would not be returning for the 2002-03 season, Hayck informed Schulte of his interest in the varsity position and was interviewed for the opening. He was given the job shortly thereafter.

"I really want to come in and get the young guys going," Hayck said. "I think it's going to be a smooth transition."

Hayck won't be the only newcomer to the varsity squad. Last year's team, which won the Avocado League with a 5-0-3 conference mark and had a 14-3-3 regular season record before a playoff loss in the CIF semifinals gave them an overall 15-4-3 mark, had seven seniors on the roster. This year Hayck expects to start no more than five seniors.

"We're going to be a very young team," he remarked.

"But we're going to be an extremely exciting team," Hayck added. "I think we're going to be entertaining this year."

Hayck notes that the Warriors have some of their top scorers and defenders returning for the 2002-03 season. "We have some good leaders coming back."

Two seniors will battle for the goalkeeping job vacated by Ryan Plackemeier, who earned all-CIF honors in his final two seasons. "We have some good quality goalkeepers in our program," Hayck remarked.

Hayck's familiarity with the team is not limited to his experience as the JV coach. He also coaches for the Temecula Murrieta Soccer Club, which has 15 players from Fallbrook High School. Two of those are on the under-17 club and the remainder are on two under-16 teams, one of which Hayck coaches.

"I'm more than willing to play youngsters this season just to get things going," Hayck said.

Hayck has previous experience as a varsity soccer coach. Prior to joining the staff of Fallbrook High School, he was at De La Salle High School in Concord, California, where he spent ten years as a student, teacher, and coach.

Concord De La Salle is well known for its American football program; the football team hasn't lost a game since 1991. But the association football team, for which Hayck was a junior varsity coach for four years before coaching the varsity squad for two years, also made its mark in the CIF's North Coast Section. In Hayck's first year as a varsity coach, De La Salle was ranked #1 in the section before a loss in the CIF quarterfinals, and in his second year with the varsity team the squad reached the CIF finals before losing the championship match.

Hayck plans to promote the soccer team as the football team is currently promoted. He expects to have music and a public address announcer at the games, and he will likely have halftime games. He intends to have an entertaining atmosphere at the Warriors' soccer matches and will be inviting the Fallbrook community to home games. "This is a big soccer community," he noted.

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