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Welcome to Bell’s Blog, where I’ll be keeping readers in the loop with the goings on of the Milwaukee Panthers men’s soccer team throughout the upcoming season.
As pre-season draws to a close, we look back on what has been a successful first month for a program that has undertaken so much recent change. This summer has seen new staff, new players and a healthy new atmosphere come to Engelmann Stadium. We now hope to continue the group’s positive start into competitive action as our season gets underway with the defense of the Milwaukee Cup tonight at Marquette’s Valley Fields.
There has been a great mood around the locker room since arriving back at UWM following a refreshing summer. Almost half our roster is made up of new guys who have all mixed in well with the returning squad members to create some great team chemistry throughout an intense time of the year. Pre-season has consisted of two sessions per day in which the coaches have introduced us to some fresh tactics and new styles of play. Alongside training, we have been provided with daily team lunches and dinner and completed all other necessary preparations for the coming fall. This has meant an enjoyable period of meeting new Panthers, competitive practicing and a whole lot of pizza!
Without schoolwork to concentrate on yet the busy days have been offset by some team socializing too. This has included group trips, the team’s new longboarding craze and even some of our male panthers (widely known as Manthers) producing some, let’s say interesting, music videos.
But now is the time to concentrate on the serious business, as our new season commences with a mouth-watering curtain raiser against cross-city rivals Marquette Eagles. We go into the game as holders of the Milwaukee Cup after winning the corresponding fixture last year. With more fall victories over Green Bay and NIU we are currently in possession of the LeWang Trophy and the Chancellor’s Cup too. It’s the first time we have held all three since 2005 and the trio of successes was definitely the program’s highlight last year. We are now hungry to keep our hands on all the silverware this season and our defense begins with the most coveted of all the trophies in tonight’s derby game being played at Marquette’s Valley Fields, kicking off at 6:30PM.
As always, we are hoping for some great Panther support and willing all our fans to make the short journey across town, showing their colors and cheering on the team.
