A team’s record doesn’t always tell the whole story.
Because when you lose nine games by just one goal, it’s easy to feel like you’re better than your 2-13-1 record from last year, says Manheim Central’s boys soccer coach Adam Bastidas (bottom, left).
“Obviously, there’s room for growth, but we had a lot of very close losses during the season” in 2024, so the record was not at all indicative of how the team played, Bastidas says.
This year, the third-year coach is seeing “great attitudes and a super-committed group, so we’re excited.
“One focus for us is to try and get out to a good start to the year. I think that would be an immediate way of shifting things from last year. Your mindset starts changing a little bit,” he predicts.
Seniors he’s counting on for leadership include goalkeeper Zach Spangler (top photo), center-back Syrus Lubeskie (bottom, center) and midfielder Max Kosydar (right), part of a large roster for this year’s squad.
“I love seeing the guys come up through the program,” says Bastidas, who’s from the Lehigh Valley and formerly was JV coach at Hempfield for a year. “It’s a great group of guys.”
A center midfielder in his playing days, Bastidas laughs and says “my eyes may naturally go to the middle of the field (his old spot), but I love the whole team aspect of the sport in general.
“I like working with defenders, I like working with midfielders, I like working with our strikers – anything that gets our group working together, being on the same page, I really like that.”
LNP | LancasterOnline hosted Media Day at its downtown Lancaster office to connect local media with Lancaster-Lebanon League players and coaches.
