LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
If a 50-year-old soccer coach shows up 30 minutes before practice to run two miles around the field, just imagine the training he puts his players through.
Warhawks interim varsity soccer coach Spencer Spriesterbach's expectations are high when it comes to conditioning.
"The games are nothing," he said. "The players know the hardest part is to get out here and train."
Spriesterbach said having players committed to the three-times a week, two-hour practices was the reason he agreed to prepare Lackland's team for the Air Force-wide Defender Cup soccer tournament.
"They want to go to the next level," the former All-Air Force soccer coach said. "If they are willing to (commit), hopefully that will equate to success in the tournament."
The Warhawks are on a break from its San Antonio Soccer Association league to host the 17 Air Force teams at the tournament Oct. 10 - 12.
Over the last couple weeks, the team has been focused on how to get over the top, having suffered two consecutive losses in the Defender Cup title game to its Gulf Coast opposite in Eglin, AFB, Fla. including last year's 3-1 title defeat.
Spriesterbach's comment following Eglin's successful title defense, "If we had a little more opportunity to train together," explains his resolve to work with the team longer this time around.
Though the road to the tournament championship covers eight games, the fitness variable is not the coach's main concern.
Spriesterbach believes most Airmen are fit across the board; training is more about building team chemistry within the team's 3-5-2 formation.
"Something that I have always stressed is, 'just play the system,'" Spriesterbach said. "It's amazing the success we can have if we do that."
Team chemistry is central to an anticipatory style of play Spriesterbach wants, in particular having midfielders run into the forward position to catch defenders off guard. However, creating that connection takes time, and finding the right bench players becomes even more important.
Of the maximum 20-player tournament roster, the Warhawks squad has seven returning with Defender Cup experience. As many as 30 hopefuls have been gunning for the rest.
With the loss of team captain and striker Nana Saahene, still awaiting medical clearance for his ankle, the large player pool definitely helps.
The recruits that make the cut will have to fulfill roles on the team and wait for their time to play.
"That helps discriminate who makes the team and who doesn't," the tournament coach said. "I'm watching attitudes as well, to see who is going to be able to sit on the bench for two games during the tournament."
Leading up to the Lackland's first group game against Seymour-Johnson AFB, N.C., Saturday at 9:30 a.m., the team has been scrimmaging the starting 11 against the substitutes.
After four years coaching, Stewart Hess has put down his Warhawks whistle and picked up a clipboard as the tournament's director working alongside the staff at Sports and Fitness.
A major change implemented this year, the games will be played off base at the executive fields located off of Old Highway 90 and Callaghan road. The championship game, Monday, will be played at Warhawk Field.
Warhawks veterans Saahene and Mike Bailey will coach the team as it resumes league play Oct. 18.