The Royal Palm Beach High School boys varsity soccer team is having another strong season. Just past the halfway point of the regular season, the Wildcats are 12-1-2. Their only loss was a hard-fought, 3-2 defeat at the King’s Academy on Thursday, Dec. 5.
Mal Hasan, head coach for the Wildcats for the past 11 years, is leading a veteran team that has five returning starters from last year’s unit and an 18-player roster featuring 14 experienced players who are members of the Royal Palm Beach Strikers travel soccer club.
Based on their level of play this season, this year’s deep and talented team is poised and prepared to win a third-straight Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) district title. This year’s team, which includes eight players from last year’s roster, is also motivated by last year’s team, which advanced to the Class 7A regional quarterfinals, only to lose to Boca Raton High School, 2-0. Last year’s team had an impressive 19-3-1 record.
When Hasan creates his game schedule every year, he books more regular season games than most teams, sometimes as many as four games in a week. This year’s team has 23 regular-season games on its slate. Hasan feels that having more competitive games gives his players the chance to improve their mental and physical soccer skills.
“Each game serves as a practice session where a specific topic, situation or area of concern is addressed and/or focused on,” said Hasan, whose career coaching record at RPBHS is 183-66-32. “It teaches and strengthens each player’s ability to be mentally prepared to be up for every single game, while also enhancing the cardio and physical demands required to play.”
By being exposed to virtually every possible competitive and weather scenario during the regular season, Hasan said his players will be battle-tested for the postseason.
“Every game provides an opportunity for each player and the team to be exposed to a multitude of possible situations or adversities that they may encounter later in the season, so that they are better prepared to handle and/or address a particular scenario,” Hasan said. “For example, how to play with a lead or a tied score; how to play while behind by a goal or by two goals; how to play after scoring or giving up an early goal or late goal; how to play if up or down a player; how to play under different weather conditions; how to play on various field types; and/or how to play with different types of officiating.”
To keep his players fresh and well-rested throughout the regular season, Hasan will add new players to his varsity roster throughout the year.
“Additionally, I add a few different junior varsity players to the roster each game to expose them to the varsity level so that they gain experience and are prepared to play with the varsity team, if needed during the season or for the following year. This allows for mental and/or physical breaks for varsity players when needed,” Hasan explained.
In addition to a roster of experienced players, Hasan has four team captains who truly lead by example in practice and in games. They are senior forward Danni Rodriguez, senior defender Miguel Burgos, senior defender Sebastian Manjarres and junior midfielder Ramon Escalona.
“Danni is the top goal scorer in the area again. Miguel has great field knowledge and a strong work ethic. Sebastian is a dependable defensive leader, and Ramon is the most talented soccer player in Palm Beach County,” Hasan said.
One of the unexpected additions to this year’s roster is German exchange student Tony Bauer, who was the placekicker on the RPBHS varsity football team. Bauer is the first international exchange student to ever play soccer for the Wildcats.
“Tony is very talented and can play any position on the field,” Hasan said. “He has easily adapted to my style of play. He is a very likable person with a tremendous sense of humor who has immediately connected with other players, both on and off the field.”
Time will tell if the Wildcats can win a third-straight district title and make a deep postseason run in the playoffs. One thing is certain, though — Hasan’s squad is truly deep, talented, poised and prepared to succeed.
