GREENVILLE – The Greenville Lady Wave soccer program is ready to hit the 2023 OHSAA season running with a total of 23 Lady Wave filling out the roster under the direction of veteran coach, Dave Ernst.
The team was wearing its pink tank tops in Wednesday night’s practice on the artificial turf at Harmon Field.
“We wear pink on Mondays and Wednesdays and then they wear their purple tank on Tuesdays and Thursdays,” said Coach Ernst. “Something to keep the girls a little bit motivated so they look identical.”
The 2023 Lady Wave soccer team captains chosen by the team are second year captain, Kaelyn Gump and first year captain, Josie Madden, both seniors.
“Two great girls,” Ernst said. “Couldn’t pick two stronger leaders.”
Gump and Madden selected the pink and purple practice tank tops the team wears.
“Last year we wore white and neon green,” Ernst noted.
Coach Ernst is pleased with the number of Lady Wave this year giving him two complete squads for team practice sessions.
“We would love to have a couple more,” Ernst stated. “We’re trying to put together a JV schedule – don’t know if it is going to happen or not but I am happy with then numbers and the girls that we have.”
Greenville plays in the very competitive Miami Valley League where most of the bigger schools have year around soccer programs. Coach Ernst and his coaching staff has been working to combat the advantage it brings to the larger city schools.
“This year we started an indoors winter soccer league for the girls on the high school gym floor, fifth grade through high school,” he said. “We did our open fields in the spring, got started in June. You can only compete so much but you compete with schools that have clubs, you do what you can. We work them hard.”
The Lady Wave are home Saturday, August 5th with a 10 a.m. scrimmage with Coldwater and open its OHSAA regular season play Friday, August 11th when Twin Valley South comes to Greenville’s Harmon Field for the first of 17 regular season matches.
“We’re excited,” Coach Ernst said. “Gives us 17 opportunities to win.”
John Tabler serves as Lady Wave assistant coach and Caitlyn Besecker is the team’s voluntary assistant coach.
