The UW-Whitewater men’s soccer team has had an up and down start to the season, but with conference play approaching, the Warhawks are looking to put everything together and make a push toward the top of the WIAC. At the center of it all is senior captain Cooper Re, who has been a part of the program for four years and leads the team both on and off the field.
Cooper has high aspirations for the team this year and sees a bright future for them. Complimenting Re’s goals is head coach Tony Guinn, who praises Cooper’s influence on the team.
“Cooper trains hard, does well in school, and pushes his teammates to do better. He cares,” Guinn said.
Although this year’s squad has faced some out of conference adversity, Re, Guinn, and the rest of the team believes they are right where they need to be. Guinn has faith in his team, and believes that “the tough games prepare us for tough moments and good competition.” Preparation is a big part of what this team does, and fans will soon get to see what they have in store to show the rest of the WIAC.
With all of this in mind, Re took some time to chat with Royal Purple about himself and the team.
Q: You’ve been a big part of this program for years now. How do you think that the team has grown and changed during your time here?
A: I’ve seen plenty of guys come and go from the program through four years. And I mean through every class, it’s awesome to get to see every guy bring something a little bit different to the table. Being able to experience playing with all different guys from different places, and getting to know them as well has kinda helped develop me as a player, learning other things from other people and you know just being a good teammate. I think that’s something our team carries really well, and everyone helps each other. So that’s been a big part of my development here.
Q: As a team captain, how have you seen yourself impact this team?
A: I try my best every day. Even when I was younger I was just trying to get guys in the right headspace so we can play and lead together as a team. I’m the one who wears the captain’s band, but I think our team brings a lot of leadership and you can trust every guy on that team. They’re gonna tell you the right thing, and they want the best for you and each other. Which is really good to see, that there’s a strong sense of leadership there and it’s not just based on one guy.
Q: What aspects will you and the team look to improve as the season goes on?
A: I think we’ve had some ups and downs as we’ve started the year so far but we’re very close to where we wanna be, and I think a lot of the guys are seeing that prevalent in games and practices. We’re just kind of waiting for that last puzzle piece to go into place, and we’re all working hard at it every day. There’s always a changing thing that you have to adjust to, but I think we’re in a really good spot. We’re really close to where we wanna be right now.
Q: What gives this team confidence that this group can finish towards the top of the WIAC, and make the NCAA tournament?
A: Being on the team for the last four years, you can sense how hungry guys are, and it’s definitely prevalent with this group that we want something bigger and we want to succeed. I think everyone knows we have the tools to do it, and I think all the guys want nothing more than to succeed, make the NCAA tournament, and do bigger things this season. We all know our potential, but we just need to unlock that. You can tell in practices and all the little things that we all want the same thing.
Q: With conference play coming up, what kind message are you trying to convey to your teammates to keep everyone focused and motivated?
A: I mean we’re coming up on a big part of our season, which all the guys know. At the end of the day it’s a sport and stuff happens, but if we all play for each other and as a team, as cliché as it is, that is the biggest and most important thing that we have right now. Also having that togetherness where we can overcome things that are bigger than us is prominent.
Re determinedly looks forward to the rest of his senior season, as the Warhawks strive to make the 5th NCAA tournament in the Tony Guinn era of coaching.
“All the guys know this is the two hours a day where you can really work on things and get ready for bigger moments ahead” Re said.
Re hopes to continue to lead this squad by example through tenacity and work ethic. The desire to succeed is strong with this year’s team, and the Warhawks plan to conquer the WIAC this year along with doing some damage in the NCAA Tournament.
