New boy’s soccer coach John Roberts is all about attitude, aggression, and atmosphere.  Joining the teaching staff this year as a special education teacher, he has a different perspective to bring to the team due to his immense experience; he has been coaching for over 27 years.

Roberts states his goal for this year simply, “I want to bring a new rejuvenated feel to the game of soccer for all of the Perry men’s soccer players.”

While he has experience under his belt, his coaching career began even before his two-year-old son, as a college student coaching the Alta Loma Aztecs, a club team. “I’ve seen all different kinds of styles, and I know I’ve had some great coaches,” Roberts states. He was also the Cross Country coach this year.

Serrano describes how Roberts got the job simply, stating “Last year’s coach resigned from coaching and teaching so he’s left the school district [and] we needed to replace him.”

Roberts continues, “What came along with [teaching at Perry] was a good opportunity to coach a division one school.”

Junior Zach Johnson has been playing varsity since freshman year, and is optimistic about how Roberts will affect the team. He anticipates a new sense of team unity.

“I think the soccer program as a whole will become more unified because with past coaches it has been very segmented,” Johnson says. “Now with this coach it will be altogether as one.”

“I think he’s a great coach that’s going to bring a new look to the soccer program,” agrees senior Mitchell Albrecht. He continues, “He’s going to put us in the place we need to be to have a successful season.”

Although Roberts explains that his goal is to assist players in their individual growth, his “vision for the future… is to compete at highest level in the state.”

His strategies include “skilled and up-tempo practices, an aggressive game plan, an in-season workout plan to maintain strength and a committed focus.”  With Roberts as a new coach and soccer season around the corner, boys soccer players have an exciting season to look forward to.