Hanover High Boys Soccer 2020 is Underway!

As the Hanover High School community prepares for a new and unique school year, we are also preparing for the 2020 soccer season. Starting today, this blog will be published every day through November and will be the best source for current information about the Hanover High Boys' program, which will encompass 100 players on four teams.  Despite the challenges imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, we will be able to offer a safe and productive program, following all of the guidelines from national, state and local health authorities, as well at the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA), the Dresden School Board, and the Hanover High Athletic Department.

There will be many ways to receive information about HHS Boys Soccer:  e-mails, the HHS Athletic Web site, and social media (BAND, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter). We will provide links to all.  However, THIS BLOG is the best way to get daily, current, cutting-edge, accurate information.  All players and parents are asked and implored to check the site every day.  We generally publish at the end of the day, and ask that you all make a habit of checking the blog first thing every morning.  Beginning immediately, we will publish news about tryouts, schedules, protocols for health and safety.  We will provide coaching profiles, roster information, game accounts, and timely information about our daily schedules.

Let's start with the basics: following the guidelines of the NHIAA, there will be a soccer season.  Following the guidelines of Hanover High, we will offer four teams, and there will be a place for every player who wishes to play.  As we have done for over a decade, we will have a Varsity, JV1, JV2, and Freshman team. Due to the limitations of regional scheduling, and the lack of sub varsity programs offered  by other schools, all interscholastic schedules will be limited.  However, each of the four teams will have at least a few games against other schools.  Because of where and how we train at the Dresden Fields (frequently and accurately referred to in this vehicle as The Pasture), we will continue our tradition of rigorous scrimmages within the program.  In addition, we plan to continue the excellent games between our Freshman team and the Girls' Varsity.

It is critical the year for us to closely follow health and safety protocols. Many players have been practicing during the summer, and we are ready to wear masks, practice social distancing, clean equipment and use hand sanitizer, and continue to learn how to keep ourselves and others safe.  We feel fortunate that all of our activities are outdoors.  We have never used locker rooms, and will not need them this season.

We will continue optional preseason training under NHIAA and HHS guidelines this coming week, and official tryouts will begin on Tuesday, September 8th.  Interscholastic games will begin on September 18th, preceded by a few preseason scrimmages. 

This will not be a typical season in many respects, and we are ready to remain flexible, maintaining the priority of safety and commitment to an educational, co-curricular model. We will continue our tradition of player development and sportsmanship.  We will be committed to communicating, and ask parents to be proactive in asking questions.  We also hope that players can develop the ability to take responsibility for their seasons, and advocate for themselves.

This week's schedule:  All Freshmen are welcome for training at Dresden M-W-F from 6:00 - 7:30 at Dresden.  All upperclass players are welcome for training Tuesday and Thursday, 6:00 - 7:30 at Dresden.  There will be optional fitness sessions for an extra fee M-W-F from 6:30 - 7:30.  No signup is needed.

Stay tuned for an introduction to our coaching staff, preliminary schedule information, and updates on the season ahead in future posts, continuing tomorrow night and every day afterwards.  We look forward to being in touch.