Well folks, I would like to start this year out by saying it is great to be back on campus. All summer, we have been working extremely hard day in and day out with sprints and lifting and now it is officially time to show everyone what we have in store.

We made our way to school on August 10th where we started out with the timed mile run. We were supposed to make it in a time of 5:15 and then the next morning we ran "The Beep Test." After that, we have been doing two-a-days and plenty of ice baths. Involved in this time was a lot of team bonding events to involve the freshmen into the team. The seven incoming players are Kyle Simpson, Alec Barnhart, Josh Selle, Kwaku Fringpong, Ian Johnson, Tim Prendergast, and Collin Riley. There will be more from them in the future.

This past Tuesday was our first scrimmage where the Cougars topped Ohio Christian University 2-1. With four returning seniors, seven incoming players, and a new coaching staff, our team is looking very well. Marc Cannon and Josh Selle were the first to score for the 2011 season.

The next scrimmage that came about was against NCAA Division II Ohio Dominican University on Saturday at ODU. The Cougars started out very well, but it was ODU that came out on top with a goal. The Cougars fought but never received the equalizer as the game ended 1-0.

With these two scrimmages, it showed us that we can compete with the strongest teams out there and that there is always a chance to be on top. It also expressed to the players and coaching staff that our new system is very possible. One of the first things Coach Belleman told the team on his arrival was "You might not be the most skilled team, but you will be the most physically-fit team." So far, it shows that we will be.

Thank you for taking the time to read about your Cougar family. I hope that you continue to tune in for future posts and possible video. Also, continue to cheer for your Cougars! God Bless!