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(THOMAS WALLNER | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Cooper Wilde runs up to kick a ball during one of the Steers’ 2024 matches. The Steers will have many returning players from last season’s roster, like Wilde, which head coach Tim Wankowicz said was good for continuity going into this season. -
(THOMAS WALLNER | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Steers head coach Tim Wankowicz speaks with the team during their match against the Bridgeport Bulls at home Feb. 21, 2025. The Steers rallied but ultimately fell in a penalty shootout.
Graham soccer will undergo a year of transition, but head coach Tim Wankowicz still has high hopes for his team.
The Steers finished 11-8-3 last season and made the playoffs, defeating Perryton in their bi-district round before losing to Bowie in the area round.
Moving into the 2025-26 season, Wankowicz said he has several goals he hopes the team can meet, including making the playoffs again. Wankowicz is looking to build upon the success of last season while taking it a step further to become area champions.
However, Wankowicz said the main thing he hopes to see from the team on a year to year basis is that they grow and learn to work together as a complete unit.
One advantage the team has this season going in is that a majority of last year's team will be returning for another season.
Wankowicz said continuity will be vital for this team considering they were starting to find their rhythm down the stretch in the previous season.
“When we finished the year last year they were gelling and working well together. Guys like Thomason Burkett and Hudson Weatherman and Nolan Wankowicz were really working well in the back and making things happen,” Wankowicz said. “I’m expecting that continuity to be a huge impact for us this season.”
However, the team did have two big losses offensively in graduating seniors Easton Hedge and Ozzy Trejo. Hedge was described by Wankowicz as the “main goal scorer” for the team last season so the biggest hole to be filled on the roster will be the offensive lead.
Some names that Wankowicz listed as guys who could take over that scoring spot were Saul Trejo, Jace Gill, Cooper Wilde and Jordan Ginn.
In order to prepare for the year, the team has been working hard in other sports like cross country as well as offseason workouts, staying conditioned through exercises like weight lifting, distance running and short sprints with directional changes just to name a few.
The Steers will play their first preseason game at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12 against Sanger at Newton Field.
