With all of the changes to the Athletic Department this year, the new coaching staff of the men’s varsity soccer team is no exception. On November 13, it was announced that James Fendryk will be joining the men’s varsity soccer program as head coach. This new position follows a successful three year campaign as an assistant coach for Essex Community College, with trips to two national quarter finals, four state championships, and three regional finals.

Fendryk played the sport throughout his childhood, at Calvert Hall in high school, and at the University of Maryland: Baltimore County.

Fendryk pursued the head coaching position when he heard that former head coach Simon Cotton and assistant coach Ed Maynard were not returning. “I did not want to pursue this position until I had the approval from Cotton and Maynard because I really respect both of them and I wanted to make sure it would be okay with them,” said Fendryk.

The coaching staff includes returning assistant coach history teacher Rodney Johnson.  Maynard plans on staying involved as the goalkeeper coach on occasion. Fendryk also brought in Mike Lookingland, a member of the Baltimore Blast, to help.

Lookingland and Fendryk have played together for eighteen years. Fendryk said that, “[Lookingland] can only benefit the program.” Fendryk is very optimistic that this about his staff: “It is the whole coaching staff that gets the job done; the best people can only make the best team.”

Fendryk is approaching the coaching position with a new coaching philosophy. He believes that a strong team has a discipline, effort, and faith to succeed. He believes that a team that has a strong discipline has the potential to be led to victory. “Effort is the only factor in the game that a player can control,” said Fendryk.  “The team also needs to have a strong faith. They need a strong faith in their team, faith in each other and faith in themselves,” said Fendryk.

Fendryk plans on bringing back the returning members of the varsity team. He feels that, because this nineteen returning players suffered such a harsh past season together, they have bonded and will be able to face all odds next season. He plans on adding more members to reach the total goal of twenty-two players.

Coaching, however, is not foreign to Fendryk; he currently coaches the men’s varsity rugby team with Chris Powell and Principal Paul Barker. Fendryk will continue this job in the spring and will reevaluate for the future, depending on the workload with his new position.

Overall, Fendryk feels like he has prepared for this role his whole life by watching games and playing the sport for as long as he can remember. He does, however, feel that he can always learn more and that the process of learning the sport is a never-ending process.

Allison Walczyk can be reached for comment at [email protected].