OTTUMWA — To say the least, there is an international flair that encompasses the Indian Hills men’s soccer team.
That was evident on Monday during the team’s preseason media day. Players arrived decked out in Indian Hills maroon and gold as well as the different flags of their respective countries.
Players from 16 different countries currently make up the 29-man roster for the 2022 IHCC men’s soccer season. Second-year head coach Kevin Nuss bringing together a team with so many players from different cultures with different backgrounds that grew up learning and playing different styles of soccer.
“Different cultures bring different perspectives. That’s something we put a focus on during our first team meeting,” Nuss said. “We talk about what those different cultures and different perspectives bring to the table. We try to use that to our advantage. There’s no right way to play the game. We take a little bit of everybody’s culture and everybody’s different perspective to blind that into the way we want to play.”
Nuss had to hit the ground running last season, taking the job as IHCC’s newest head men’s soccer coach just over a month before the season’s first match. Led by all-region standouts Pable Marques and Matteo Scarduzio, the Warriors finished the season with a final record of 7-11-2 earning a hard-fought 2-1 postseason win at Iowa Central before falling short in overtime against second-ranked Iowa Western in a bid for a huge postseason upset.
“We’re just trying to grow on what we built on last year. It was a bit of a transitional year last season taking over as late as I did to instill some of the principals into the program that we have. Now, we’re not only trying to bring in the players that can not only fulfill those principals, but to build on them.”
All told, 25 freshmen will be part of the upcoming season for the Warriors as Nuss looks to push the program forward. Scarduzio, Andres Valencia, Galder Gaztelu-Iturri, Kento Tani and Albia native Landon Noe are the only five returning players that the Warriors will have heading into the 2022 campaign.
“Everybody brings a lot of quality in terms of their play on the field and the quality of people they are off the field,” Valencia said. “We’ve had so many guys that are still learning the language. We’ve been helping the freshmen out showing them around the campus. I think that’s going to be a huge difference for us. I think it’s going to bring us closer together as a team to be there for each other on and off the field.”
Of the 16 countries represented on this year’s IHCC men’s soccer team, seven countries are represented by multiple players with five players apiece representing the countries of Italy and Germany. Ron Becker, one of the five players from Germany, talked about adapting to new teammates and new friends from across the world all of whom have come together in the heart of southeast Iowa.
“It makes me proud to be a part of this program and part of this team,” Becker said. “You have so many nations represented and so many great players representing their countries. There’s a sense of pride when you see everyone coming together waving the flags of their respective countries.
“It’s amazing. It gets me excited. I’m excited for the season. I think everyone is going to enjoy it.”
For Nuss, the start of his second season at the helm of the IHCC men’s soccer program comes after spending the offseason coaching some of the best players in the country. Nuss was selected to lead the Ocean City Nor’easters program, a member of the top amateur league (USL2) in North America.
“I was lucky enough to get that phone call to get chance to return to the club. I’ve been fortunate enough to be with them for 10 years,” Nuss said of Ocean City. “It was a great opportunity to go back and coach. It really turned into a great summer. It was a great learning experience when you get a chance to work with players from the ACC, the Big Ten. It sharpens you up as a coach. There’s no space to be lazy. There’s no time to sit back on your heels. They keep you sharp and, ultimately, that’s going to help us here.”
The first preseason match for the Warriors will be this Saturday in Des Moines against Grand View University at the Cownie Sports Complex. Indian Hills opens the 2022 regular season hosting Johnson County to open the IHCC Classic on Friday, Aug. 19.
