Soccer coaches encouraged after ‘Brazilian Way Soccer Camp’ experiences

Between July 10-13, about 400 high school student-athletes from across the state converged on the campus of Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Ky. for Coach Paulo Neto’s Brazilian Way Soccer Camp. Included on the list participating programs were the Corbin and Whitley County boys teams, both of whom are hopeful for a strong showing in the upcoming 2024 season.

“I thought that we had a really good camp experience compared to last season,” said Roger Taylor, who is coming into his second year as head coach of the Corbin Redhounds. “We will be returning most of our starters. The core of the team is still there, unlike last year, where we had to replace 8-9 players.”

Taylor said that being familiar with his lineup makes knowing their strengths ahead of time a lot easier, pointing specifically to seniors John Ball and Parker Stacy as the two Redhounds who will be tasked with providing veteran leadership on the field this season.

Overall, Taylor thinks that his team will be a step ahead of where they managed to leave off at the conclusion of last year’s campaign (8-8, 13^th Region runner-up). “I think that we will be improved,” he explained. “What I have been impressed with most about this group is their dedication to getting better. We have a lot of players who are really dedicated to improving, and to getting better.”

Taylor mentioned Alex Campos and Sebastian Witherington as two incoming sophomores who have worked extremely hard during the offseason in preparation for taking on a much larger role on the varsity level this fall. Another of last year’s freshman class, leading scorer Rizo Cima, will apparently not be returning to the team in 2024 as he is exploring other opportunities which could potentially see him getting to train overseas, in Europe.

Taylor said that the Redhounds’ schedule will feature a few more games this season, as he feels the team can handle it since they are a little more experienced. He said that the idea is to play more often in order to better prepare for the postseason, which he feels confident could include another regional championship title for his squad.

Branham says Colonels have returned from camp united

For Head Coach Michael Branham’s Whitley County Colonels, attending the recent Brazilian Way Soccer Camp at LWC signified another big step forward in terms of establishing the program as being among the top tier in the region.

“This was our first time doing that as a program in about ten years,” Branham said of the trip. “It was more rigorous, and just a better experience. It was a good chance to learn, grow, and really see where we’re at.”

“The guys knew it would be intense,” Branham continued. “They knew they were going to have to commit to it. Overall, it was a good bonding opportunity for us while getting to spend three nights away from home. I feel like it brought us closer together.”

Branham said he liked the fact that his team got to participate in some competitive scrimmages during their time at camp, and that he has been happy with the amount of effort that he has seen from the Colonels during the offseason.

“They have put in a lot of work,” Branham said of his team. “We have probably worked harder in the weight room than ever before, and everyone has just bought in. They want to be better, and be the first team from Whitley County to make it into the region tournament.”

Branham said that senior Luke Faulkner is ready to step into the starting goalkeeper role that was left open by the graduation of Canaan Parsons earlier this year, and that fellow senior Jacob Senters is prepared to help lead the way once again as one of the team’s go-to strikers.

Senters was forced to take on a much greater role offensively in 2023 after the tragic season-ending injury to forward Matthew Sawyers. Branham said that he was happy with how Senters responded to that challenge, and he looks forward to seeing what he will be able to accomplish in the weeks and months ahead.

Other Colonels, such as junior Brody Moses and senior Javon Rider, were also mentioned as important keys to success.

Whitley will be presented with a big opportunity right out of the gate this season, as they will play host to Corbin, Harlan County and Knox Central in the 2024 Kentucky 2A Sectional tournament. More information on that event will be provided at a later date.

Paulo Neto and the ‘Brazilian Way’

Coach Paulo Neto presents his Brazilian Way Soccer Camp each year in several different states. In its twentieth year of existence, the camp has become widely known as one of the absolute best in terms of the level of instruction and the sharing of knowledge by truly world-class trainers.

Coach Neto himself has led programs in the NAIA, NCAA-II and NCAA-I ranks. He has also coached at the semi-pro level, and has instructed players in the Olympic Developmental Program.

Neto coached the University of the Cumberlands men’s soccer team between 2005-2011, becoming the program’s all-time wins leader with a combined record of 82-29-8. Recently, it was announced that he will be returning to Williamsburg to once again lead the Patriots as head coach beginning with the upcoming 2024 season.

For more information on Coach Paulo Neto’s Brazilian Way Soccer Camp, visit www.brazilianwaysoccer.com. For more on his return to UC and the Patriots’ upcoming fall campaign, visit www.cumberlandspatriots.com.