Lincoln Academy varsity girls soccer coach Donovan York was named the 2013 KVAC Class B Coach of the Year, in his first year as head coach. Under York’s leadership, the Lady Eagles finished the season with a 6-5-3 record and made the playoffs for the first time in five years.
Lincoln girls were winless in the two seasons before this year. “Once we got that first real win against Belfast the girls loosened up,” York said. “It was an easy group of girls to work with. They were open to some new ideas. They came in frustrated with last year and came in with determination. They played hard all season. I was impressed as the season went on.”
York scouted each team this season. “I did a little more research and found other teams’ strength and weaknesses and tried to exploit them,” he said.
“It was a seamless transition,” York said of taking over the program from John Schumacher. “We do a lot of the same things, I bring a different voice.”
In the middle of the season, Lincoln girls did not give up a goal for five straight games, and won or tied seven straight games.
York gives credit to former Brunswick boys soccer coach Peter Gardiner who came and worked with the team early in the season. “He talked to them about what it means to play as a team,” he said. “He changed things up that practice. We used some of those drills throughout the season.”