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10/3/2008 - Soccer team claims first win, makes history at Judson
By Rebecca McBay Judson College had its first intramural soccer team from 1922 until 1927. This year, Judson has formed its first intercollegiate soccer team, comprised of fourteen freshman, two junior/sophs and two seniors. The first win was on Sept. 6 against Wesleyan College in Macon, Ga. Freshman and team captain Andi Skarbecki, from Defuniak Springs, Fla., scored the winning goal, making the final score 1-0. "Soccer is THE world sport in almost every country around the globe except in the USA and one or two other places," said Judson's Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Bill Matthews. "I've watched soccer being played in most European countries, the Amazon jungle, and India. It's great to watch soccer being played right here in Marin, Alabama! Soccer is physically demanding and as mental as a chess game. Judson has assembled a great team of soccer players who will do us proud!" Coach Bryan Weiss formed the team in March when he was hired by Judson to begin this intercollegiate sports program. He learned about the opening while browsing the Internet and decided to give it a try. After his first visit to Judson and many prayers, he felt that this was where he needed to be, so he and his wife, Kim, and their 5-year-old daughter Kaitlyn moved here. Weiss got straight to work developing the new program. After many trips to various high school soccer games in the state, he put together Judson's winning soccer team. Weiss, a preacher's son who spent most of his childhood in Iowa, has been playing soccer since the age of 5. He earned his Master of Science in sports management from the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, Ala. Before coming to Judson, he was the men's head soccer coach at Crossroads College in Rochester, Minn. "Bryan Weiss is a man of character and faith who supports the mission of Christian higher education at [Judson] and he has great experience in coaching soccer at all levels," Judson College president Dr. David Potts said when Weiss was in the beginning stages of team-building. Soccer was the most asked about sports program by prospective students, according to the admissions office. Last October, at the request of representatives from the admissions office, Judson's trustees approved the addition of soccer to the college's athletics division. "I didn't know that we'd get any wins [this season]," Weiss said. "It's tough for first-year teams. It's nice to have young girls on the team, but it's nicer to have older girls on the team because they know what college soccer is like. They know about traveling and might could mentor the younger players." Weiss is already recruiting for next year's team and looking for more teams to play. He hopes to have up to ten home games and ten away games and more than just eighteen players. "I hope that the team becomes closer, work together, and be even better in the coming months," said Skarbecki. "Next year, I hope that we are even more physically and mentally together as a team." Upcoming Games
Date Opponent Location Time October 11 Reinhardt College Waleska, GA 3 PM CST October 14 Covenant College Lookout Mountain, GA 4 PM CST October 21 Bryan College Dayton, TN 6:30 PM CST
* Article courtesy of the Judson College Public Relations Department
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