Coaches Corner: VW’s Solomon Okang

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

In terms of wins and losses, it’s been a tough season for the Van Wert’s girls’ soccer team.

Playing a challenging schedule that includes two state-ranked teams (No. 4 Shawnee, No. 18 Elida), the Lady Cougars are 1-10 (0-6 WBL), with the lone victory coming last Thursday, a 4-1 win over Delphos Jefferson.

Despite the struggle in the win/loss column, first year head coach Solomon Okang noted there have been some positives this season.

“I have seen and noticed some improvement in my team,” Okang said. It’s basically having more of an understanding of what soccer is all about and what I expect from them. Mentally, physical and in terms of aggressiveness, these girls have come along way and are still going, so that a plus.”

Okang also explained that the girls have remained upbeat throughout the season.

“The attitude of the team is good in the sense that we all know we have work to do, we can’t get better without not working.” Okang said. “We also know and understand that some of the teams we play against are far ahead of us concerning programming, experience and talent, but we will keep competing until there’s nothing to compete for.”

“We know it’s a game at a time. For now we are a work in progress, in other words we can say it’s a project, which means we need time and everybody on board.”

While improvement has come small steady doses this season and Okang said several girls have stepped up as team leaders, including seniors Michaella Johnson and Sierra Shaffer, along with juniors Elizabeth Tomlinson and Savannah Nygren.

Prior to taking over the girls program, Okang was an assistant for three years with the Van Wert boys’ soccer team. His ties to soccer go back to a young age when he played U10 soccer in Ghana, West Africa and continued up to the professional level in several different countries, including Ghana, Denmark, Italy and Sweden. While serving as a captain, Okang’s Ghana team won league championships in 2006 and 2007. Now, he’s trying to share his knowledge and love of the game, while building a successful program.

“My biggest challenge so far is the culture here in Van Wert, coming from a soccer driven culture were every kid can do something with the ball even without been coached before to almost no idea what the game is all about culture,” Okang said.

The Lady Cougars are back in action tonight at home against Bath.