Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 2002)
10 O O October 16, 2002 The Clackamas Print Women's soccer has arrived Former University of Portland standoutJracy Nelson takes control of the soccer program that has been added at Clackamas Community College Sports Editor This year was the kickoff of Clackamas Community College’s first season of women’s soccer, and the Cougar women have been tearing up the field in an effort to make it to the top of the Northwest Athletic Association of Community College’s (NWAACC) Southwestern Division. In eight games since the season opener on Sept. 13, the Cougars have won five times, tied once and lost twice, leaving them behind division-leading Tacoma and sec ond-place Lower Columbia College. This early season success has been a little surprising to Head Coach Tracy Nelson, a former University of Portland Pilot soccer star, who is trying her hand at a college coaching job for the first time. “We’re definitely doing well, and coming to a new program and a new team, you never really know what to expect,” Nelson said. “It always takes a couple years to really build a program and we were fortunate to get a good group of girls in. It’s a good solid group that has really come together as a team and are playing really, well.” CCC Athletic Director Jim Jackson was a driving force behind women’s' soccer coming to Clackamas. The reason that the new program was established has to do with the fact that another women’s sport was required to bring Clackamas into gender equi ty in athletics. Simply put, approximately 53% of the CCC general population is female, and the athletic opportuni ties must match up with that per centage. But prior to women’s soc cer being added, the college was actually much closer to 53% of athletic opportunities belonging to men. This gender inequity could have'warranted a formal investiga tion by the Office of Civil Rights, had anybody made a major com plaint. The athletics system had been out of balance for quite awhile, and Jackson had wanted to bring on a new women’s sport since he came on the job in 1992. Only after a personnel shift freed up the necessary money for the program to be established did this finally lake place. When it came time to decide which sport was right for CCC, soccer seemed to be the perfect fit. There weren’t too many other sports to consider, and since soccer is such a popular and successful sport in the area, it was an easy choice. “Obviously one of the promi nent sports is women’s soccer. Without a doubt,” Jackson said. “It became kind of a no-brainer for us in wanting to put that on.” The players that represent Clackamas on the soccer field are all freshmen, but are not caving to the pressure that comes with being a new student. “All of the players have done a super job and they’ve all con tributed in different ways,” Nelson Defender Tara Wood (right) does her best to keep the ball from a Clark oppo nent in the Cougars 2-1 home victory on Oct. 2. Forward Megan Moore (below) breaks free from a Clark player in that same Oct. 2 victory. Moore helped her team gain the victory by scoring one of the two goals in that game. The Cougar women are currently in the third place position in the Southwestern Division of the NWAACC behind soccer powerhouse Tacoma and second place Lower Columbia College. Cougar Sports Calendar soccer Friday, October 18 vs Shoreline © 4p.m. -HOME Saturday, October 19 vs Bellevue @ 1p.m. -HOME Friday, October 25 vs. Green River @ 2 p.m. in Auburn, WA Saturday, October 26 vs. Highline @ 12 p.m. in Des Moines, wa Wednesday, October 30 vs. Southwestern Oregon @ 3p.m -HOME LUKE MAHAN Clackamas Print said. “I wouldn’t say there’s been a weaknesses. Nelson has spent player that’s been holding the team practice time working with her together, I think it’s been a com players on finishing and increasing the speed of play, with the hopes bined effort by everybody.” Prior to the season opener, that the team will be able to play Nelson, like all people starting a better under pressure. new job, had some feelings of “To be able to compete with the nervousness. She was however, top teams, we need to increase our able to quickly turn those nerves speed of play. That’s the biggest into success on thfe playing field. tiling right now,” Nelson said. “I was a little nervous just “Play .a little quicker, a little'faster, because I’ve never done anything know where we want to play the with the college level before. It’s a ball before we get it, are things whole new experience,” Nelson that we have to continue to work said. “And there’s a ‘lot of other on;” The Cougars’ most recent things that...are a factor at the col- ’' lege level besides just coaching. match at Southwestern Oregon on There’s a whole other side of it Oct. 12 resulted in their second that I’ve never had to experience loss of the season, falling- to SWOCC by a final of 3-1. before.” The overall play of the soccer ‘We didn’t do so well this past team has been going well, but that weekend,” Nelsoti said.: “We kind doesn’t mean that they are without of want to forget this weekend and move on. Next up for Clackamas are home games on Fri., Oct. 18 and Sat., Oct. 19 against Shoreline and Bellevue, respectively. The last time these teams met, the Cougars were the victors in both games. But that doesn’t mean that this weekend is going to be a piece of cake. “I think (Bellevue) is going to be a lot tougher than it was the first time we played them,” Nelson, said. “Hopefully, these next few games will build some confidence back up for us and get us back on track and playing how we know we can.” As the season draws closer to the playoffs, the Cougars are hope ful about their chances of postsea son survival. They have already played every other team at least once, which has given them a chance to measure themselves against the competition. So far, Nelson sees the biggest competition coming from division leading Tacoma, as well as second- place Lower Columbia College. The Cougars haven’t fared too well against these teams, losing to Lower Columbia by a score of 3-2, and tying Tacoma .2-2. But Nelson isn’t worried about these details. “With this group, anything’s possible’ If they get it in their mind that they can do. it and want to do it, I think anything’s /possible,” Nelson said. “And anybody can beat anybody on any given day.” volley b a II * Friday, October 18 vs. Mt. Hood @ 7p.m. -HOME * Wednesday, October 23 vs. Lane © 7p.m. -HOME * Wednesday, October 30 vs. Chemeketa @ 7p.m. -HOME eros s country *Saturday, October -Southern 26 Reg ion Championships
