By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports Report
WAVERLY — Waverly boys soccer coach Jon Rankin has the best numbers since taking the reigns of the program three years ago as he gets his team ready for the 2026 season.
"We're at 19 right now," said Rankin. "It's a little higher than normal, which is great.
"We have a pretty good mix," he noted. "We have three seniors, one junior, four or five sophomores, a good amount of freshmen, and one 8th-grader."
"So pretty balanced," added Rankin. "I am very happy with the numbers."
Rankin anticipates solid numbers for several years.
"Our modified numbers right now are at 12 and that's to be expected," he said. "A lot of them don't know what's going on, a lot of those families are brand new to sports.
"A lot of them don't know what's happening outside of the school year, so usually the start of school is when modified will jump from 11 or 12 to 19 or 20.
"It's good to have that relationship," Rankin added.
Rankin knows his team may be a little undermanned, so the focus of the preseason has been ball movement.
"The focus of the preseason is cleaning up our first touch and moving the ball around the field a lot more," he said. "I don't want to take away the creative freedom of the boys, but I want them to understand that the way we're going to succeed is by moving the ball around the defenders, given how we're just such a young team.
Waverly opens the regular season Wednesday at Owego Free Academy.
"Our first game is next Wednesday, so that gives us seven practices, which is one extra practice past the mandatory minimum," said Rankin.
"We don't really have time to do a scrimmage," he added.
IN TOP PHOTO: Waverly's Jon Rankin. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
