Catching Up With Coach: Jake Warren

CIRCLEVILLE, OH – The Lady Trailblazer soccer program has been the model of consistency over the past five years. Reaching the conference tournament for four consecutive seasons, the Lady Trailblazers have seen success at multiple levels, all under the leadership of Jake Warren, the squad's head coach. Recently, Coach Warren reflected on the 2019 season, saying farewell to a talented senior class, and the expectations for 2020.

Q: Looking back at 2019-20, a year in which you made it to the second round of the RSC Tournament, what will you remember most about that team?

A: "Last season was special in a lot of ways: We took a huge step toward being one of the top teams in the River States Conference, we said goodbye to a special Senior class who has meant the world to our program, and it was the deepest roster OCU Women`s Soccer has ever put together. Another highlight of last year was our team had the unique opportunity to do an international trip together to Costa Rica. Reflecting on 2019, I think everyone is proud of what we accomplished; almost capturing the Regular season title and putting together one of the more successful seasons in program history. But I also believe there is the feeling within our group that we wanted more out of last year and are excited about next year`s challenge."

Q: You saw one of your most talented classes graduate in 2019-20. What did that specific group of girls do for your program over their four years?

A: "It`s impossible to put into words what last season`s graduating class has meant to our program. This group changed the entire landscape of our team through their results on the field and the culture they have built. It`s been a fun ride watching them succeed as players and grow as people. The end of last season was tough for me, knowing we are losing several kids who have been the foundation of OCU soccer over 3 or 4 years. Rachel, Britt, Jenny, Brooke W, Brooke L, Morgen, and Tori are major reasons why our program is in a great place; We are sad to see them graduate but also grateful for the experience we had with them."

Q: Talk about your 2020 recruiting class. How excited are you to get the next group of girls on the team and see their impact?

A: " I am excited for our new group of players because they will make our team better in several ways. First, each bring a different positional skill set that makes our team more complete and balanced. It`s our goal to improve the overall quality every season and the new additions will make our training environment better and raise the level of competition. However, what I am most excited about with this new group is the quality of kids we are adding to our program. In getting to know the new girls, it`s evident how driven they are to improve and the high character skills they possess. I cannot wait to spend more time with them and see how they impact our team going forward."

Q: What are you looking forward to most about the 2020-21 season?

A: "Every season brings a new set of challenges and excitements. I think this upcoming year is very interesting because we have such a young group. What`s fascinating is we have a lot of players still developing and growing into their roles, which makes it hard to predict how this year will go. We certainly are embracing the idea of a brand-new chapter of OCU soccer, a new style of play and culture, where a lot of players can step in and rise to the challenge. 2020 will be a unique season because it`s not about one or two girls and a collective effort is needed."

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