Jim Schneiderhahn has seen the results from his team’s hard work in practice.
Sometimes, it hasn’t been so pretty.
“Kind of the joke that I’ve said is this year we care enough to puke,” the Emporia State soccer coach said. “That’s kind of a joke but also telling the truth.
“We’re pushing ourselves to the limit, and part of becoming better as a player and as an individual is getting out of your comfort zone and putting yourself into an uncomfortable spot.”
In his second season as ESU’s coach, Schneiderhahn hasn’t taken it easy on his squad, even in the hot temperatures.
The extra training is all part of the plan to help build a team — and a program — after the Hornets finished 3-15-1 a year ago.
“(Conditioning) is the one thing you have complete control over,” Schneiderhahn said. “We can’t control the officiating. We can’t control the other team. As we’ve seen these last couple weeks, we can’t control the weather.
“The one thing you have absolute complete control over is yourself and your preparation.”
So far, the coach hasn’t heard many complaints. Especially not from players who felt the extra work could have helped them to a few more victories last year.
“He wants us to be more fit, and I respect that, because we do,” ESU forward Sarah Tetuan said. “It’s going to take a lot more effort for us to get more fit, but we’re getting there.”
ESU will need to be in shape after losing some players who were expected to be on the roster this year.
Megan McGuirk, Raquel White, Jessica Jaecques, Alisha Barranco and Maeghan Shaffer were all underclassmen that logged minutes last season and did not return to the team this year.
“I think it could have been very easy for us to be somewhat down when we had so few numbers right of the bat,” Schneiderhahn said.
The coach still has been pleased with quite a few players — including the three incoming freshmen who could contribute right away.
Leading the group is Lauren Cathey, a 5-foot-6 midfielder from Fort Collins, Colo.
Though Schneiderhahn didn’t want to put too much pressure on her, he said she had the potential to accomplish great things if she continues to develop.
“She’s very good on the ball,” Schneiderhahn said. “She’s got a nice poise about her — almost beyond her years.”
Tetuan wasn’t as shy about putting expectations on the true freshman.
“She has a lot of skills, and she’s going to be well-known,” Tetuan said. “Her name’s going to be out there, I think. She’s done a lot for us in practices.”
Cathey, who has moved from outside midfielder to center midfielder, said it had taken some time before she adjusted to the Kansas heat.
In early practices, she found it difficult to catch her breath in the moist air.
“It’s a lot more humid here — 100 times more humid here, so that sucks,” Cathey said. “I’m starting to get used to it, I think, but it’s like 100-something degrees here, and it never gets like that in Colorado.”
Kaleigh Dobbs and Emporia High graduate Kylee McCullough are the other freshmen who have impressed Schneiderhahn in the early workouts.
The coach said the two already had made their mark — both in practices and on the shins of their teammates.
“They come in meaning business and come in hard,” Schneiderhahn said. “They have done excellent. I think their level of play has pushed everyone else to be better.”
Schneiderhahn said midfielders Shelley Marsh and Caitlin Riemer and forward Alicia Smith also had stood out in practice.
ESU will open its season in less than a week, traveling to Rockhurst on Friday.
Schneiderhahn believes his players will start to see their hard work — especially in conditioning — pay off.
“No coach likes to see their team out there struggling or throwing up or anything like that,” Schneiderhahn said. “You want to see the success. That’s why we do what we do.
“You also understand a lot of that is part of the process. We’re embracing that part of the process. They may not realize they’re embracing it, but they are.
“That’s key for our success.”