It’s only August, but Valmeyer High School soccer coach Neil Siburt already likes what he is seeing from his team so far. The Pirates are getting better day after day, and could be poised for their best season in years.

“We are improving in every facet of the game at every practice,” Siburt said. “We have such a mix of players: some have played for years, some for just one year, and some have never played soccer before.  The more time they have to play and gel together as a unit, the better we will be.”

Key returning players include Matt Hemenway, Hunter Brewer and Dylan Long, who will provide what Siburt thinks could be a potent offense.

“We will have a huge strength at forward,” the coach said. “This could be one of the highest scoring teams Valmeyer has ever had.”

Siburt also expects the defense to be strong. Brandyn Stuart and Jack Erickson are expected to emerge as leaders to solidify the back line.

Valmeyer also has the advantage of a deep bench, full of strong and speedy players.

“This is probably one of the most athletic teams Valmeyer has ever had on the soccer field,” Siburt said.

Though the team is looking strong, Siburt didn’t go into too much detail regarding his goals for the season.

“Our goals are the same every year,” he said. “We want to have more wins than the previous year, win a regional game, and go from there.”

Siburt doesn’t want his team to get ahead of themselves, stressing the importance of taking the season one game at a time.

“We don’t have any one specific game that we key in on,” he said. “We will have to play every game like it is a must-win game.”