The Wright County girls soccer team with a new season just underway is led by a new head coach Miriam Meinke. She takes over for Head Coach Brooke Sunne who departed the program following last season (2-12). She knows the program well, serving as an assistant coach the last two seasons.
Meinke on taking over the role and coaching approach.
“Soccer has always been my passion. Knowing that Clarion could join Belmond and then Eagle Grove too, being in Wright County, it just makes it more exciting to be the coach. I stepped up to take on this new role and it’s been exciting, challenging, and fun,” says Meinke. “You work hard, you get what you work for, right? That’s exactly what we’re doing. We are working hard and hopefully we’re gonna get what we are achieving for. Nothing comes easy in life. You have to work for it. Then be happy with what we get.”
Wright County graduated six of their everyday starters from last year’s squad. Three starters return and have stepped up to be team captains, Ella Negrete, Jocelyn Gonzalez and Jany Morales Mejia.
Meinke on focus areas in game prep and support of team captains.
“Our defense, stronger defense always is one of the things. We do have some newer girls on our team this year, so it could be challenging. We want to learn the defense, learn passes and have strong passes. I feel like being three different schools, it could be challenging. Working together as one, it’s one of the things that I see coming easy with our team. Some of the leaders that have stepped up, Jocelyn Gonzalez from Eagle Grove, Jany Morales from Belmond, and Ella Negrete as our captains. They have taken that role very serious and they have led by example to the other girls.”
Wright County (0-1) fell in their season opener to Garner-Hayfield-Ventura on Thursday. They enter a three match road trip next week, at Hampton-Dumont-CAL on Monday, at Humboldt on April 10 and at Aplington-Parkersburg on April 11.
