Mike Spagnola

You won't find this anywhere else! Coaches from girls' soccer teams at Burrell, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Highlands, Kiski Area, Plum, Riverview, St. Joseph's, and Valley high schools took aside time to stand up and speak about the girls they coach - and we caught it all on video for you. You'll find a lot about what these girls are like and just what each girl puts into the game. This Alle-Kiski Sorority of Soccer doesn't stop, plays hard, and is coming into their own. This Sisterhood doesn't care that it's not easy; they work hard, play smart, and make it fun. And they do it together. That's the picture these coaches paint of these young ladies, but don't take our word for it. You can see it all for yourself, in their own words in the video interviews. Below is a little of what you'll find. You gotta go to and see this.

Burrell's Mike Spagnola: They Don't Stop

Mike Spagnola wasn't sure what it would be like coaching high school girls at Burrell this year. His coaching experience was with college girls and high school boys - including a stint as an assistant and a 13-0 regular-season-run at Highlands last year. But the Lady Bucs team has proven to be a sharp group. "These girls are about the toughest group of people I've ever been around, mentally and physically,” he says, referring to their determination. "They pay attention to details mentally and physically…" and they don't quit, they don't stop, according to Spagnola. "I feel privileged to be here with these girls." Mike will tell you why, as well as fill you in on Lady Bucs' soccer in the video.

Rick Nese

Fox Chapel's Rick Nese: We Want To Be There

The last two seasons, Rick Nese's Fox Chapel club bowed out in section and playoff action to eventual State and WPIAL champions. He hopes this year is their year. "These girls are going to turn some heads," says the Lady Foxes soccer coach. "We had a lot of shoes to fill [from last years' squad]," but "we are getting a lot of contributions from a lot of players…being able to go to the bench helps." The Lady Foxes push a very aggressive style of play, and they have to get past Butler and North Allegheny - both intimidating section squads. Nese says, "To come in first, second, or third [in this section] is a great accomplishment…every night you gotta be at your best in this section." And that's where the Lady Foxes plan to be, according to the coach: at their best. "We want to be there in [their] face," What gives this team the extra-added kick? It's in the video interview with Rick Nese.

Christine Medwig

Freeport's Christine Medwig: They're Up To The Challenge

In her six years as head coach for the Jackets, Christine Medwig has constructed a strong girls' soccer program at the school and made defense the cornerstone of the team arsenal. Medwig's teams have gone to the WPIALs three years in a row and once to the States. But Sewickly has hindered Lady Yellow Jacket post-season dreams the past two years and remains the team to beat, along with other section rivals, Riverview and Burrell. This club is up to the challenge; like other Freeport sports where "D" reigns supreme, Medwig says the Lady Jackets' "defense has always been strong for us." Hear her explain who her team is and what they face this season, in the video.

Kurt Landsberg

Highlands' Kurt Landsberg: We're Closing The Gap

The Lady Golden Rams' soccer squad lost 12 seniors from last year's edition. But there is no gaping hole on the team. "We have a core of juniors and seniors who have stepped up to the challenge," says Kurt Landsberg. "We have several juniors and seniors who give us strong leadership this year…the upper classmen are strong and doing a good job helping underclassmen learn the ropes.” Many of the girls play with club teams in the spring, and the 10-year coach believes the Lady Rams are getting to the place where they can 'run with the bulls' in the section, like Hampton, Ambridge and Mars. "We're closing the gap between ourselves and some of those schools," Landsberg says. In the video interview, you'll see the coach describe just how the club is doing that this season.

Tim Sharek

Kiski Area's Tim Sharek: Coming Into Their Prime

"They are not just soccer players--they're athletes," Tim Sharek says, talking about the Lady Cavs soccer squad. He should know. He's coached varsity two years here as well as two years at the intermediate school, not to mention several other teams in other area programs. He says "They were all on my team at one time or another…lots of girls now on team have come up through this." Last year, his team lost six games by one goal. The past three years' teams have been young but this year, those girls have grown up and they have been playing since winter, including a spring season where they didn't lose a game. Sharek will tell you who his team is and what they are doing this year in the video interview.

Javiar Gomez Calderone

Plum's Javier Gomez Calderone: Equal To Their Task

It all adds up for this coach and mathematics professor. Calderone's passions may be divided up between education, mathematics, and soccer (among others) but the Lady Mustangs soccer club has found a special place in his heart. "I love this team," says Calderone. "We have a very good team this year. I believe we will go to the playoffs." It could be; the girls conditioned all summer as they ran 45 minutes a day at Boyce Park. Calderone believes competition is a big part of a successful program--a good thing too because he says it's a tough section that includes one of the best teams in the area, Franklin Regional. The coach explains the equation that is his team.

Monty Santos

Riverview's Monty Santos: Taking Chemistry Lessons

He's played world-class professional indoor and outdoor soccer for teams in Germany, Brazil and the U. S. He's currently the Director of Coaching for a Cup [a level of high-calibre competition -ed] team and for a futsal [indoor soccer] team here that won a national title. But this day Monty Santos is bringing the full weight of that experience to the Lady Raiders program as first-year girls' soccer coach at Riverview High School. It looks to be a good match. The girls like him and he is comfortable at the helm of the Lady Raiders' squad. "We have a lot of talented players capable of playing for Cup teams," Santos says. And the girls on the team are, in his first year, exhibiting what he considers to be one of the most important things in soccer - teamwork. "I think you can have talented players but if you don’t have the chemistry as a team to play together, to put up with problems, and move on and actually stay together as a team," the coach points out, "there is nothing you can do…you can’t actually succeed at all." See how the Lady Raiders do it, in the video interview with Monty Santos.

Matt Flowers

St. Joseph's Matt Flowers: They Learn To Play Smarter

Girls' soccer at St. Joseph's looks just a little bit different than other WPIAL teams. It is one of the few co-ed teams. Coach Matt Flowers has 15 players on his team and four of them are girls. "It gives it a different outlook on the team," he says. The girls are definitely between a rock and a hard place, playing with and against boys. But the coach says they handle it by learning to "play smarter and take the right angles…they learn that on their own--they're very good with it… the girls want to know why than just how." With a schedule that includes Riverview, Springdale, and Shadyside boys' teams, the girls get to see some tough competition that most girls' soccer players will never face. The competition is sure to sharpen their skills. Coach Flowers tells you more about this unique group of girls in the video interview.

Helen Mills

Valley's Helen Mills: They Make It Fun

This year’s edition of the Lady Vikings is a group of “very dedicated girls," Coach Helen Mills says. The team, only in its third year, has played year-round practically, with many of the girls playing for private clubs in the off-season. The girls stuck through a tough season last year, and for some of them, it is only their third year in soccer, period. "Most started as freshmen," says Mills, pointing out most of the team is made up of juniors. This year's seniors have been through the establishment of the program. "They're [all] good kids…they make it fun. No matter how bad we lose, the next day they want to come back and play… They're playing well--I’m proud of them," Mills concludes. See why this team has heart in the video interview with the coach.