The start of fall classes also signals the beginning of fall sports seasons. At Virginia Peninsula Community College, that means athletes are on the soccer fields, volleyball courts, and trails for cross country.
Volleyball coach Tommy Thomas is beginning his second season with the program and is excited about the team. He had seven players on hand for the first practice of the season Aug. 5 at the Coastal Hampton Roads Sportsplex on Patrick Henry Drive in Newport News but is expecting more. He’s hoping to have a roster of 12-15.
“We are stronger right now than we were most of last year,” he said. “We have more experience than last year.”
The following day, coach Kevin Darcy was just as optimistic about the men’s soccer season. The program began last year with six players turning out at the Hampton Campus for the first practice outside near Hastings Hall. This year, Darcy and an assistant coach ran 11 players through drills at Wolf Trap Park in Yorktown on Aug. 6.
“Six quality guys are not here, but have committed to playing,” Darcy said.
Numbers will be important to Darcy’s team as last year the Gators often had just two or three subs come game day.
A new sport at VPCC this year is cross country. The team’s first practice was July 23 with the runners putting in their work on the Noland Trail. The first of the team’s five meets is the Richmond XC Festival at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville on Aug. 31.
Students interested in participating in a fall sport at VPCC are invited to a meeting Aug. 20 at 4 p.m. in Gators Café. Or they can email athletics@vpcc.edu.