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Phillips returns to lead Spartans
Coached boys soccer at SC West, now has 3 sons at home to raise
Derek Phillips always thought he would eventually return to a head coaching position. So it makes sense that it would be with the Francis Howell Central girls soccer program.
Phillips has been a member of the Spartans coaching staff since Howell Central opened its doors, starting out as the junior varsity coach, then moving up to become the varsity assistant when Mike Caraffa took over the top spot from Tim Holmes prior to the 2002 season. Phillips also was the head coach of the boys soccer program at St. Charles West, resigning at the end of the '03 season a little over a year after the birth of his first son, Connor, to spend more time with his family. Now several years and two additional sons - Brayden, 4, and Jacob, 1 - later, Phillips becomes the third head coach of the Howell Central girls soccer program, replacing Caraffa, who resigned after the '08 campaign.
"I didn't know when the timing would be right (to once again become a head coach), but I think with this one, I've been with the program for so long, and the way everything worked out, it just kind of fell in line perfectly," said Phillips, who teaches at Saeger Middle School. "It just felt like a good time for me. I was ready to be a head coach, and Mike was pretty up-front with me last year, telling me it was going to be his last year, and (athletic director Terry Kasper) was kind enough to just let it fall in line."
Following that same sequence, Chris Barth - who joined the Spartans program when a freshman team was added, then took over the JV coaching position when Phillips moved up the chain of command - will be Phillips' assistant coach at the varsity level.
"Coach Kasper has always been really good to the staff as far as that goes, and I think at some point, Chris and I always wished we might be able to work together up at varsity," Phillips said. "We never knew when it would happen, or if it would happen, but we're excited about the opportunity."
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With the continuity in the coaching staff comes a high level of familiarity between the coaches and the players. But Phillips said the girls realize that everybody came into tryouts with a clean slate, and that their effort and determination will determine who plays.
"We came in with the philosophy that we want the girls to understand that work rate is important, that competition in practice is important," Phillips said. "We want these kids to work to make themselves better, and therefore to make the whole team better."
It's through that hard work that Phillips said he believes the Spartans will be able to improve on their 8-12-1 record from a year ago. In particular, Howell Central hopes to improve on an offense that recorded a total of just 19 goals in 21 games, including eight in its last 13 games.
"Scoring definitely wasn't the strength of the team last year," Phillips said.
But the return of Bri Beine could be just what the doctor ordered to inject some life into the team's offense. Two seasons ago, Beine started at forward as a freshman and led the Spartans in both goals, with 13, and assists, 5. Last year, she opted to compete in the Midwest Regional League (MRL), a developmental league for players in US Youth Soccer Region II that competes during the high school season, but Beine, now a junior, will once again don a Spartans jersey and toil on the team's forward line.
"Bri's just a talented player, and she's so dynamic at creating space," Phillips said. "She works so hard at getting open, and then when she gets the ball, she can finish it or lay it off. She's really clever with the ball, and anybody who watches her play this year will see that right away. She can draw a couple defenders and dish it off, or slow the defender down and then, boom, she's right by her and putting a shot into the corner."
Joining Beine up top will be senior Jamie Winchell, a third-year varsity player who scored three goals last season. Phillips said Winchell and Beine are both unselfish players who appear to have the makings of a positive on-field chemistry. "
"We're excited with how that combination might play out," Phillips said.
"Jamie is probably the hardest working player in practice. I mean, you know that when the whistle blows or we start practice, she's going to go hard, and that right there, that makes her a better player every time she steps out on the field. She was hurt some last year, but man, she just works so hard, and we're so pleased with where she's at right now."
Junior Nicole Becker, who started at forward last year, will likely see time there and could also play in a wing midfield spot. Becker led the Spartans with 4 assists a year ago, and playing alongside Beine as a freshman, she was second on the team with seven goals.
In the midfield, senior Lauren Capuano returns for her fourth varsity season, and she will likely play in the center.
"We're looking for Lauren to be our leader in the middle of field as far as distribution, switching fields, switching the point of attack, and linking up with Jamie and Bri," Phillips said. "We need Lauren to be that controlling type of player who wants the ball at her feet."
Senior Alexis Baez, who led the Spartans with five goals last year, returns for her fourth varsity season and will likely start at a wing midfield spot, although Phillips said Baez could play in the middle and see some time at forward as well.
"She has good crossing ability, she's good at holding the ball at her feet, and she understands the position out wide," Phillips said.
First-year player Ashley Harris, a sophomore who transferred to Howell Central last year, will open the season at midfield, possibly in the center. Junior Anna Recer, who missed her sophomore season with injury after starting at midfield as a freshman, will be back in the Spartan midfield, although Phillips said she is till a bit nicked up right now. A quartet of varsity newcomers - junior Megan Huffman, and sophomores Lexie Mooney, Shelly Hassall and Emily Klobe - will also be in the midfield mix.
On defense, Phillips said he is not yet sure what type of system Howell Central will use, but he does hope to get some much-needed leadership from senior Michelle Cissi, a four-year varsity veteran, as well as junior Ally Daiber. Other backs include juniors Darienne Korbai, Kelsey Ehlers, Julie White and Carly Hemple, and Klobe could also see time in the backfield.
Sophomore Adrian Corcione returns in goal for the Spartans.
"Adrian's not the tallest keeper, but she's very quick, and she reacts very well to shots," Phillips said. "I think she got some good experience at the varsity level last year, and that can only help her out."
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