After scraping by the past two seasons with a limited palette, the Southwest Mississippi Community College Bears women’s soccer team will have a few more colors to use on the canvas this fall.
Eight soccer players from North Pike signed with the Bears for this coming season.
The Bears had started the 2007 season with 15 players, and after injuries and eligibility finished the final game with 11.
That’s where Candace Carlos, Maggie Dunaway, Donovan Glover, Johna Golmon, Nicole Hamilton, Kaitlyn Perry, Kayla Stockton and Katie Williams come in.
The group from North Pike, combined with two transfers from Copiah Lincoln Community College, plus a few more players who haven’t signed, could total around 20 players at coach Kim Bullock’s disposal next season.
“They will make an immediate impact,” Bullock said. “They have a lot of experience playing together, but still have things to learn.”
With the signings, the program will have a decided advantage over the first two years, as depth will not only help but will foster more competition on the practice field and for spots in the starting lineup.
The North Pike eight won’t be inserted into the lineup right away, although they’ll all have a shot at being the first on the field come August.
“They’re girls that want to play,” Bullock said. “We have strong players coming back, and they’ll have to really prove they want to be out there.”
The girls have proven they are able to play well in high school. The North Pike Jaguars are currently 14-4-1 on the season and are looking toward a trip into the playoffs at the end of January.
In order to decide whom she wanted on her team come next season, Bullock has already taken a look at each of the players, but now she’s looking through different-colored glasses to figure things out for next season.
“I’ve really taken a look at them as players,” Bullock said. “Now I’m going to look technically at where they’re going to fit on our team and what their strengths and weaknesses are.”
Bullock didn’t say anyone would have a position sewn up or wouldn’t have to change from where they’re playing now, although Kaitlyn Perry is almost assured a shot in goal, but that doesn’t mean she couldn’t play defender.
Having eight players with a certain degree of chemistry already will be important, as Southwest will have just four players returning from this year’s team.
The Bears won’t participate in any spring tournaments because of the lack of numbers, although conditioning begins next week.
