Wildcats Soccer looking to spark new excitement

By Sam McClanahan
    The 2022 Pendleton County Wildcats Soccer team will look to create a fresh identity as new head coach Amber Nichols takes over the program and will be looking to accomplish two main goals during her first season at the helm.
    “I want to help make an immediate impact on this team and build something that the players will be proud to say they were a part of,” she says.
    “This season will be about growth and working  together as a team. I’ve already been impressed with the spirit shown by the players and how bad they want to win,” Nichols added.
    Coach Nichols played varsity and college level soccer growing up and helped coach at Bishop Brossart. She was officially hired as Wildcats head coach in April and began working with her club earlier in the summer. She led the team to compete in exhibitions at the Bluegrass Games where she says the team competed well. During her first season, she’ll have a roster that possesses a mixture of both experience and youth.
    “We return two starting seniors and have a lot of juniors as well. I’m also excited about our dynamic group of freshmen who have a lot of upside and can step in and make an impact this season,” Nichols explained.
    In evaluating her roster, Coach Nichols anticipates using an exciting and aggressive up tempo style of play that she feels will benefit the strengths of the players.
    “I want to use more attacking lineups, ones that see our fullbacks pressing up. For us to win games we have to be able to score goals.”
    The Wildcats open their season with road games at Holy Cross and Boone County. The team will host St. Patrick in the home opener on Tuesday, August 16.