I had a chance to connect with Brock University men’s soccer coach, Aleks Balta, following the team’s recent string of losses to discuss the challenges, lessons and path forward for the team.
The team has lost its last four games, making necessary advances to improve upcoming matches. Their next challenge is set for Sunday, Sept. 15, against Algoma University on Brock Alumni Field. So, how can they secure a win for their upcoming matches?
In my conversation with Coach Balta, I gathered the answers that Badger soccer fans are eager to hear. Naturally, the pressing question is: What can our team do to succeed? I asked Balta if there was any growth or improvements he hopes to see from the team as the season progresses.
“Our ability to keep possession in tight areas as well as just be a little bit more dynamic and create more opportunities in the opponent’s half. The team has good cohesion; […] off the field we have that family environment, it is just about getting everyone on the same page because there are so many new players. Getting everyone to understand their roles and responsibilities is taking some time so as we progress week by week, we are hoping to see growth in the area of attacking specifically,” said Balta.
Fans probably share concerns about the team’s performance, especially regarding their aggression with the ball, which might be contributing to the recent losses. I asked Balta which specific areas of the game he’d like to focus on and improve in the upcoming matches.
“Key moments, like we’ve lost two games in the 90th-plus minute stoppage time, which obviously those games could have gone the other way. Just being mentally strong in terms of not only the work; keeping a cool head in the sense [of] not panicking in the final moments, and just sticking to your roles and responsibilities and finishing out the full match, not 90 minutes out of 92 minutes,” said Balta.
Mentality is a notable element in achieving victory in sports, and every player needs to cultivate the right mindset. I asked Balta what kind of mentality he would like to see the team fully embrace to improve their chances of winning.
“Staying locked in on the entire game and playing 80 minutes well and not falling asleep for four minutes or whatever it is. In every game we have played, we had moments where we were very good, but we haven’t had a [whole] game where we played our best and we are locked in. It’s hard to do that over an entire game anyway,” said Balta.
“Even if I look at that Western first game where we lost at home 2-1, there was a period in the second half where we kind of lost our energy and we were really on the back foot before we achieved the first goal. But it’s just keeping that [positive] mindset that throughout the game, we are not going to drop our level and mentality in terms of fighting. When I say fighting, I mean competing. We are going to compete and not let the other team dictate so much, so that’s important from a mentality mindset.”
As we discussed the physical and mental aspects the team needs to address, it is important to explore Balta’s vision for the team’s future. I asked him to share what he envisions for the team’s playing style by the end of the season.
“I think we progressed from last year in terms of the ability to keep the ball; we still need to get better there, and I think that will get better as the season goes on, so the ability to switch play and just maintain possession in tight areas when we get pressured. We work on little details to help get better at that, and I do see us getting better in training. It’s just that Rome wasn’t built in a day. I think we will be more effective in transition,” said Balta.
Balta is focused on refining various aspects of the team’s performance. With critical matches ahead the focus remains on improving possession, mental resilience, and cohesive play.
The team’s journey is one of growth and adaptation, and with Coach Balta’s strategic vision, Badger soccer fans have a reason to stay hopeful. The commitment to these improvements will be key to securingturning challenges into victories.
