Tellico eager to field full team this spring

Soccer is returning in Tellico Plains — this time for a full season.

The Bears are fielding nearly a full roster and aim at playing 12 games while competing through District 3-A action this spring.

Tellico played through a handful of games last season to test the waters of interest. Though graduating players off of last season’s roster, this team fields 15 players at the time of writing and aims to be competitive in league play.

For head coach Miguel Ovalle, starting the sport in Tellico is more than just a way for him to be involved. It helps give students something to be a part of and gives players something new to be involved in.

“Kids coming from Tellico will have the opportunity to play a new sport that they are not really familiar with. Hopefully, they can stick with it and help the school grow around the sport,” Ovalle said. “It also helps them get involved with something new, out of trouble and occupied.”

The team is rostered with young players — mainly underclassmen — with varying histories in the sport.

“The majority of the group is freshmen and sophomores that have come into the school this year. It is still a fresh new group, but we have been at it since preseason,” Ovalle added. “They have been developing and developing at a fast rate. They are pretty confident in themselves and I am confident in them.”

Though the program is in its infancy, wearing Tellico's maroon power-T is still considered to be a mark of pride.

“I understand we are fairly new, but this is something that Tellico can also be known for and they look like they can surprise out there on the field,” Ovalle said. “With that being said, this group of kids has proved that they are coachable, willing to put the effort in and willing to give it their all.”

District 3-A fields six teams, some also in the earlier stages of building a program.

“I am well aware that Sweetwater and McMinn Central are the bigger ones within our district, however we want to be competitive in there. With this group, I feel like we can set that goal,” Ovalle said. “We want to set the goal to be competitive and, as time goes by, grow and grow and grow.”

Taking the field

The Bears have experienced players on the backline. Caden Payne, Chance Shapiro — the 2023 All-County Football Player of the Year — and Julian White return from last year and can anchor the backline.

“Those three are actually the players that are familiar and grown tremendously,” Ovalle said.

A pair of midfielders that could see tremendous time on the field are Maximo Calvillo and Rowdy Russel. Julian Celentano and Titus Veal factor in as wingers.

At striker, the role is open. With kids new to the sport, the team is still filling in positions, but with healthy competition for the spots.

“The majority of the kids are new. We are still trying to figure out everything,” Ovalle added.

A spot that looks like it has a new person at the helm is in net. Sophomore Jake Mathew is new to the sport but is in place to take over the spot.

“He has shown tremendous improvement and is new to the sport. He is a quick learner and is excelling in what we are teaching them,” Ovalle said.

Shaping up

Ovalle expects to field a 4-4-2, but he noted his team is capable of fielding a 4-3-3.

Amongst the factors for success, Ovalle hopes the added depth can be impactful for Tellico, both at practice and on the field.

“I think it is going to help us have more expectations for this roster. As a whole group, there is always that competition within,” Ovalle said. “While they are out there playing, we are going to have more subs instead of playing with people out there playing a full game. We are going to be able to rotate kids and give people a rest instead of playing a whole game.”

Success for this season may not be measured in results.

“(It’s) consistency, being coachable and effort. It is having that knowledge we are teaching them at practice, being dedicated to the team and being dedicated to the sport,” Ovalle said.

At the helm

Ovalle, a graduate of Sweetwater High School in 2016, has been around the sport his whole life. He played collegiately with Tennessee Wesleyan and currently plays with an amateur league in Knoxville eyeing a United Premier Soccer League license.

“I am very passionate about the sport; I enjoy coaching it as much as I enjoy playing it. I see coaching as a way I can shape the next generation of players and grow the support locally, regionally and nationally,” Ovalle said. “I would like to help build that foundation of soccer that is not as popular here in the United States. By coaching, especially in a town where soccer is not that big, I feel that is what I am getting to do.”

Ovalle was previously an assistant in Sweetwater.

“It is a fairly new group with a few returning players that me and my assistant coach (Martin Cavillo) are familiar with,” Ovalle said. “We are both looking forward to this group and are excited for the start of the season.”