Campbell Jr. High boys and girls soccer have shown major improvements this season compared to last season.

Penny Ross coaches the boys team and Robbie Barnes coaches the girls and both coaches were in their first season at RDC.

Last season, the girls achieved only three wins while this year they were the runner-up in the conference with 10 wins.

Barnes was pleased to say the least about how the season turned out.

“We went from finishing eighth in the conference last year to second this year,” he said. “Our overall play of the game was quality. The girls are learning the technical aspect of it all.”

Barnes admits he had no idea what to expect in his first season, but he looks back at it as a success.

“You never know what could happen going in to a new position,” he said. “I did not think that we would finish second because we have some pretty skilled teams in our conference. The girls stepped up and took on the role handed to them and responded well.”

He is looking forward to what next season has in store but said there are plenty of roles that still need to be filled.

“We’re graduating nine eighth graders,” Barnes said. “We need some of the younger players to step up and take on the leadership role that the eighth graders are leaving behind. We need to work on the foot skill aspect a lot next season.”

Barnes said he learned what it takes to be successful coaching at the middle school level and that he learned an important skill that stands out to him the most.

“I definitely learned that patience with teenage girls is a necessity,” he said. “Overall though, I want them to learn to enjoy being around the game of soccer and have them learn the game is one thing I take pride in. Many of these girls graduating eighth grade will play high school and some of they actually already do. I want to give these girls a stepping stone for the high school coaches and hopefully a stepping stone to the rest of their lives.”

Barnes sets the record straight on what the main goal for next season will be.

“Since we finished second this year, I say we go on and take it all next year,” he said. “Winning conference is our first goal. I hope to continue teaching them a good quality of play and just thinks like that. I’m excited to see what next year has to offer.”