Men’s Soccer Sets Sights on Spring after Cancelled Season

Despite the postponement of the 2020 fall season, the Liberty Flames men’s soccer team is looking for the silver linings in a tumultuous year, striving to move forward stronger than ever.

When the ASUN conference announced its decision to postpone all of its fall sports games to the spring semester, athletes and coaches were disappointed. However, Head Coach Kelly Findley of the Liberty Flames prepared himself and his team for the possibility of a cancellation in advance. 

“We talked a lot about being ready for anything,” Findley said in a Sept. 4 interview. “Just kind of roll with the punches, and the best-case scenario is we get to play a season and the worst-case scenario is at least we get to train, which the guys were dying to do anyway.”

Even though this season did not turn out as planned, Findley said the ability to finally practice again is a positive, given the uncertainty of COVID-19. 

Another problem that the team has faced this season is adjusting to practicing with face coverings. However, Findley is excited about the unique opportunities this season affords – including (hopefully) a spring season.

“As a coach in a fall sport, and I think you’d probably have all the coaches say this that have fall sports, we always wanted to be a spring sport because we wanted to train our teams in the fall and play games that matter in the spring,” Findley said. “It’s actually a pretty neat experiment to be a part of. I think it’s a positive and that’s the only way to look at it.”

By playing in the spring, the freshmen can warm to the pace of college soccer without the pressure of gameday situations. Unlike other seasons, the players have plenty of time to find where they best fit within the team. 

“(A freshman) might play a different position in college,” Findley said. “We actually have the chance to do that where normally, first- and second year-players are learning through mistakes in games that matter, which is difficult.”

The Flames also brought in Jony Munoz this semester, an intriguing freshman recruit from Olathe, Kansas. 

Munoz won National Gatorade Player of the Year last year, a prestigious award given to the top high school players in the country based on athletics, character and academics. According to Gatorade Player of the Year’s website, he accumulated 36 goals and 19 assists last season.

Findley, who spent time coaching with the Sporting Kansas City Development Academy, said that he was able to get to know Munoz and his family through his time working at Sporting KC. 

“Jony is a very, very good player but he is also a very, very good person and a strong believer,” Findley said. “So, he’s kind of the full package. Love his personality, great teammate. He actually walked away from the sport in Kansas City’s academy team to play on a high school team so he could spend more time in his community and spend time investing in his church and youth group. You don’t hear that a lot.”

Munoz will be a crucial addition to a team that has struggled to replace midfielder Kevin Mendoza’s creative skills since he moved on to professional soccer in 2019. Munoz’s selfless attitude and knack for goalscoring should bode well for a team that won five of its 18 games last season. 

“Jony’s a good player, but I think his contribution goes beyond that. He’s also such a great teammate,” Findley said. “I’m excited to have him here and look forward to what he can do.”

With the addition of Munoz to the roster, the season looks promising for the Flames, and Findley is pleased with his players and the progress they are making.

“We have some good experience and I was excited about our mix and still am,” Findley said. “Some youthful talent, some good experience and across the board, (I) really like the guys. A lot of times you can’t always say that about every team you coach. I think we have good players. I like our group and their personalities and commitment level to each other.”

Christian Shields is a Sports Reporter.