Photo by Jeff Barrett
USU Eastern Athletics Press Release
With recent changes in the coaching staff, the Utah State University Eastern soccer program prepares to revamp for the upcoming 2020 season. After a school year cut short due to COVID-19, there have been differences in the method of recruitment. With hopes of normalcy in the horizon, head soccer coach Jared Woodhouse aims to set a great foundation for his tenure at the helm.
We caught up with Coach Woodhouse and got the chance to ask him a few questions:
What changes will there be to the coaching staff?
Woodhouse: Our staff has undergone a few changes. I’ve now taken over both the men’s and the women’s programs. I sat down with David Novoa, who will return to help with goal keepers, but will also take a more active role in the day to day field player training. David’s father, who has been a GK’s coach for many years here and in Colombia, will join the staff, focusing two days per week on the GK’s only.
On the women’s side, we have Kori Foote returning to assist with a far more defined role. Kori has been with the program now for many years and has great insight into the players as she was once a player here at USU Eastern. As with David and his father, I was able to sit down with Kori and better define her role in this upcoming season.
Tasha Kamachi will also be assisting the staff. Tasha played for us the last two seasons and instead of moving on to another school, she wanted to continue her education here and forgo continuing her soccer career. We are excited to have her as part of the coaching staff.
With these additions and a more adequately defined role for each, I believe that we will be more effective as a coaching staff. I have had a chance to talk in detail with each of them about what is expected, and I feel as though this will greatly add to our ability to address the needs of the players and teams.
What is the outlook for the men’s team this upcoming year?
Woodhouse: Our men’s soccer team last season was very young and still we were able to improve much from the previous year. Our record improved, our attitudes improved and the belief that we are on the cusp of being a contender in the conference and region increased. Throughout the year, we showed a great amount of progress from the first game to the last.
This season, we return most of our goal scorers from last season. We have our first team all-region player in Parker Huff. He’s returning to guide our recruiting class along with an excellent group of returners. We also have a familiar face returning to the team after taking a year off. Blake Howden was our player of the year two years ago but took last season off for personal reasons. He is returning and could be instrumental in the success of our season as he was near the top of all of our categories, such as goals scored, assists given and completed passes, during his freshman campaign.
This year, I got in early start on recruiting and have been able to secure an incoming class that I consider easily the best we’ve ever had coming to this school.
What do you look forward to in your first year as head coach of both men’s and women’s teams?
Woodhouse: This will be the first season that I’m at the head coaching position of the women’s team. Like on the men’s side, we return a really good group of sophomores, including our leading goal scorer from last season. Unfortunately, I haven’t even been able to see all the girls that signed for us play as the spring high school and club seasons were cut short due to coronavirus. I’m confident, in spite of this lack of familiarity with the incoming recruiting class, that with our returners and a few key additions will play very well this season.