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Steamboat boys soccer is back, but with another altered schedule

Steamboat Springs freshman Charlie Reisman battles a Bear for the ball during a game against Rifle on at Gardner Field on Tuesday night. (Photo by Shelby Reardon)

Just when the the Steamboat Springs boys soccer team thought they’d have a normal schedule, more changes are here.

Last year, the boys team played in March and April due to the altered sport seasons. In 2021, they’re back to playing in the fall, but have had to undergo a few other schedule tweaks.

Due to closures along I-70 in Glenwood Canyon, Western Slope athletic directors divided up the area differently. Teams like Glenwood Springs are playing 3A and 4A schools on the West side of the closure. Teams like Steamboat, will play teams on the East side of the closure. The Sailors won’t see Rifle or Glenwood twice. They hope to see them once each this season.



How a conference champion will be determined has yet to be decided.

“Not a whole lot of change for us,” said Steamboat head coach Rob Bohlman. “We won’t see Glenwood home and home and we won’t see Rifle home and home and we will take on Vail Mountain School. Basically, the league is split into two divisions.”



With the closure in place, Eagle Valley’s otherwise brief drive to Glenwood turns into a four-hour journey. Football is easier, since travel takes place once a week maximum. For soccer teams, that would turn into a lot of early releases and long days.

Concluding last season in April, the Steamboat boys team didn’t have time to get rusty or lazy. The transition into this

“Some of the players played other sports in ‘Season D.’ Some continued to play soccer and over the course of the summer it was fast and furious. … so the fitness level hasn’t been an up and down thing,” Bohlman said. “The fitness levels are fairly consistent. Our guys are hungry. They’re excited.”

Spending less time on conditioning, the team has been able to build a strong foundation over the last couple of weeks and are ready for its first game on Saturday against Centaurus. Yes, you read that correctly.

Back again are preseason or non-conference games. Last year, to limit travel, teams only saw conference opponents. There were no tournaments and no games to see where they stand before playing league games that matter the most.

The Sailors are taking full advantage by seeing Centaurus this weekend before traveling to a tournament next weekend at Arapahoe High School. Those games, which count towards win percentage but not conference standings, will help the Sailors figure out what works and what needs work.

“Centaurus, they’ve been on our schedule, I’m gonna say for probably 24 years,” Bohlman said. “That’s a great relationship with that.”

The team will also play Evergreen before getting into the thick of conference play.

It’s hard to say what the team will look like until those first few games, but it’s clear goalkeeping will be a huge asset for the Sailors this year. Junior Charlie Welch will continue to be the starter, with junior Laiken Roth as the second string. Junior varsity keeper Cole Campbell could provide support if ever called upon.

“Any given time he could get a call up to suit up for varsity as well,” Bohlman said. “Goalkeeping is definitely a strength.”


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