The Quaker Experience: Developing Players for the Next Level
The Salem High School girls soccer program is certainly a role model for other Ohio teams. In four years Head Coach Travis Ziegler and his staff have built a strong program with a focus on player development and transitioning players into the collegiate game.
Salem finished the 2011 season with an 8-4-3 record. It was their first season in the Northeastern Buckeye Conference.
The Lady Quakers play an aggressive 3-4-3 formation because Zielger believes it is similar to the style his players will encounter in college. The players are taught to play possession soccer, getting the ball on the ground and taking the fight to their opponent.
While Salem HS may not be the biggest name on the national high school soccer scene, the program has developed and will continue to develop prospects for the college game. Seven seniors won’t be around for 2012, but it is the underclassmen that are creating the most buzz.
The biggest star is freshman striker Marisa Swindell, who tallied 15 goals and 9 assists in the 2011 fall season. She also plays with Pennsylvania’s Keystone Academy on a strong U-15 squad that competes nationally. Ziegler and many others believe Swindell is a bonafide D-I college prospect that will find success quickly a the next level. Swindell exhibits blazing speed, good touch, and a killer instinct when it comes to scoring goals. Opposing teams hope to slow her down and just limit the amount of goals she finishes with because she is so difficult to defend.
Swindell is joined on the varsity squad by junior midfielder Anna Wyss and freshman defender Julia Dundon. Wyss is the Quakers’ field general, known for her ability to see the whole field and having a strong foot. Wyss scored 4 goals from beyond 20 yards.
Dundon is an ideal sweeper, leading the Salem D with tenacity and talent. She can handle the ball well and has a good touch for a defender.
“She kept us in a ton of matches,” Ziegler declared. Salem’s starting goalkeeper didn’t have to make as many saves because Dundon was there to repel the attack.
These three players add up to a bright future for Travis Ziegler Salem HS girls soccer program. Things look even better with 22 players returning for 2012, meaning the NBC may have a new frontrunner.
The Samurai Sportswear Soccer Spotlight is a monthly feature that showcases the best of the best in the world of youth and high school soccer. This year-round coverage is made possible by the partnership between Samurai Sportswear USA and International Soccer Network, LLC.
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