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GCCC soccer trip a success
Published 8/18/2010 in Sports
By JASON ELMQUIST
From two-mile runs to bon fires and S'mores, the Garden City Community College men's soccer team was pretty much at a summer camp over the weekend. But that was only part of the purpose for their 12-hour bus trip to Macomb, Ill.
The Broncbusters, made up of a large group of newcomers to the program, also had soccer on their mind — whether it be early morning practices, afternoon exhibitions or interacting with members of the Western Illinois University soccer team, which included several former Broncbuster players.
"We trained them pretty good while we were there," GCCC coach Stephen Gorton said when his squad got back in town Tuesday nightat about 9 p.m. "It was 6 a.m. and we'd run about two or three miles and then we'd practice at the facilities around 10 (o'clock)and then played a game each daynightat 4 p.m. So they're tired, I'm tired. We'd wake up pretty early and go until the end of the day, really. But the soccer was good."
Things were a little different on the pitch, however. Gorton said instead of the regular 45-minute halves, the exhibition games were broken down into three, 30-minute periods.
"We were the only team with enough players there to basically sub in three sets of guys," Gorton said. "It gave us a good chance to see everybody. All three of our goalkeepers got to play 30 minutes each game, all of our newcomers got to play, as did our returners. Nobody played more than the other. So we're excited and saw some great things."
Gorton liked what he saw from his young squad, which is ranked No. 12 in the NJCAA preseason polls. In their second exhibitiongame, against No. 6-ranked Illinois Central, the Busters starting squad actually held a lead before substitutes were brought in for the remaining 60 minutes.
"We think, when we played our best players, we won every single game," Gorton said. "It was huge for us to get some games in this early against the competition of an Illinois Central. We were beating them by a couple goals when we started playing our subs."
As for the off-the-field activities, Gorton said the teams in attendance pretty much had the run of the ropes course camp — all 96 acres of it.
"We rented the whole place, so we had it all to ourselves," Gorton said. "They got to walk around 96 acres of wilderness and trails. It was really fun."
A large reason for the cross country trip to Illinois was to get this group of kids to bond with one another before the season even begins on Aug. 28 at the Barton County tournament.
"I think they did a heck of a job bonding," the GCCC coach said. "We would kind of throw them little things to kind of build teamwork. Like we'd go to Wal-Mart, buy meals and give them the bags and say, 'Here you go. Cook, set the tables, clean up after yourselves. And do it together.' They had bon fires, S'mores and it was just really fun for them."
But the trip also had it's perks for Gorton, personally. Gorton, a graduate of Western Illinois University, got to see his old coach and former players.
"It was fun. I got to hang out with my old coach, who is still coaching there and got to talk about soccer and about players that we have here that he is interested in," Gorton said. "It was just a fun experience for me. (The former GCCC players) would come and watch our games and would come to the lodge or to our cabin area at nights and play video games with the guys. It was fun seeing them again and good to hear that they are doing really well because the coaching staff up there is very pleased with them."
The trip was also a big benefit for his players with soccer aspirations post-GCCC. Gorton said there were Division I scouts from across the Mmidwest that made the trip to Macomb, Ill., to get a glimpse at the large gathering of junior college players.
"There were tons of Division I schools there that normally don't get to see us play as much — those Mmidwest schools of Illinois and Michigan and all the surrounding states," Gorton said. "It was good for them to see some competition that we don't normally play and some schools we don't normally see. I think they handled all of that stuff very well."
Overall, Gorton said the event, which was a brainchild of his, was a success and said that he hopes to see it grow in size over the years.
"All the other teams loved it and we want to do it again," Gorton said. "And hopefully we can expand it to where it's maybe a bitglonger and have more teams. So it went really well."
After the season-opening tournament at Barton County, the Busters will open their home schedule on Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. against Laramie (Wyo.) Community College at Memorial Stadium.
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