By Kyle LoJacono
Robert Woodard has been named the girls soccer coach at Steinbrenner High, Warriors athletic director Eddie Henderson announced on Sept. 12.
“We felt like Robert has the right qualities to lead our successful girls soccer program here at Steinbrenner High School,” Henderson said. “We had a lot of very qualified people apply for the job, and we were fortunate that Robert was one of them. He brings a strong knowledge of soccer and a passion to coach.”
The Warriors won the Class 4A state championship last season in the school’s second year, defeating Merritt Island 2-1 in overtime in the title game. Steinbrenner finished with a 21-2-2 record in 2010-11 after going 17-1-2 in 2009-10.
“I’m really happy to be working with such a great group of players,” Woodard said. “Winning a state championship was a monumental accomplishment. No one has ever won a (soccer) state title in the second year of a program.”
Woodard has more than 20 years experience coaching and playing soccer. He was an assistant at Jesuit and Bloomingdale before coming to the Lutz-based school.
Woodard worked with both the boys and girls programs while at Bloomingdale, where he coached in six state title games, including the Bulls boys’ state championship seasons in 1993, 1995 and 1998. That experience as an assistant in state final fours has made him accustomed to pressure that comes with high expectations.
“Obviously there are tremendous expectations (here), but the standards were equally high at Bloomingdale,” Woodard said.
Training begins in October for the Warriors, but Woodard said he is confident the girls are already doing everything they can to be prepared for the season.
“These girls already know how to train and play, so it’s a matter of establishing our identity for the upcoming season,” Woodard said.
Steinbrenner moves up in classification into Class 5A-District 8, which includes four playoff teams from last season. Besides the Warriors, the alignment includes Class 5A regional finalist Gaither, Class 4A regional finalist Wiregrass Ranch and Freedom, which won the 5A-9 district championship the last two years.
Woodard will likely return most of the top contributors from the Warriors’ championship squad, losing only three seniors to graduation.
One of those key returners includes senior forward Cici Gonzalez, who posted 33 goals and 34 assists last season making her the only girls soccer player in Hillsborough County with a 30/30 year. She was also named the All-Laker/All-Lutz News Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
Also likely to return is junior forward Alexis Bredeau and her 24 goals and 13 assists from last season, as well as sophomore midfielder Danielle Eule, who had 11 goals and 12 assists last year.
Woodard also joined Steinbrenner’s staff as an exceptional education instructor. He replaces Teresa Patterson, who had coached the Warriors since the school opened in 2009, but resigned the post early this year to start her family. Patterson also coached at Gaither in 2008-09.
Steinbrenner will start the 2011-12 season at Jefferson on Monday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.
–All stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches.
