New girls’ soccer coach and Physical Education teacher Chris Kirwan used his collegiate-level coaching experience to bring a new angle to the team. 

Kirwan played soccer and served as a goalie coach at Becker College, and he coached the Worcester State women’s soccer team for 13 seasons. He brought his former player Ashley Spellman to help him as his assistant coach at ARHS. 

As a new coach, he faced challenges with the new position, starting at tryouts. 

“At the college level you go out and recruit and you roster your team and go into preseason,” Kirwan said. “But here, I had 65 girls come to try out for the team and [I had to] organize that just to make sure everyone got an equal opportunity in terms of the tryout.”

Kirwan also had to adjust to the rules and differences between college and high school-level soccer. The first time he called a timeout, for example, he said it felt very wrong because that isn’t an option in college.   

Despite the transition, the majority of Kirwan’s players were returners from last season, and he felt welcomed by them as well as the first-year varsity players. 

“We have a great group of seniors, who have been extremely helpful,” Kirwan said. 

Captain and senior Liv DeMember appreciates what Kirwan has brought to the program.

“[Kirwan] makes sure that our hearts are in the game,” DeMember said. 

Kirwan has found that his previous coaching experience was helpful this year. He used drills he’s already done and tactics he has seen before. DeMember says he has brought new life to the program with his drill and fitness strategies that help the team prepare for games. 

The team finished their regular season with a 6-8-2 record and went into the Division I State Tournament ranked 22. 

“The future of the program will be bright,” Kirwan said.