Inside SEMO club soccer: what it is and how to get involved

The SEMO club soccer team is in full force for their 2024 fall season. The club is student run and an extension of SEMO. It is an opportunity the school gives to the students that want to play soccer for SEMO while not having an official men’s team.

The team will play eight games in the regular season, with more games in the postseason. The team has its own practices and tryouts and is an opportunity to see what men’s soccer would look like at SEMO if the university had a men’s team.

The tryout process is for people the team has not seen play yet. It begins by signing up and then participating in drills for the tryouts. The team will evaluate sprints, technical drills like passing and shooting, then some scrimmaging to see how players will play with real game pressure. After these drills, the players will find out if you have been selected to join the team.

Sophomore Goalie Cayden Lusch and returning player Kunashe Manyewu shared why they both enjoy playing for the team.

“My favorite thing about being on the team is still feeling like I’m a student athlete even though I’m not and the ability to meet and make new friends while playing the game I love.” Lusch stated.

“My favorite thing about the team is honestly the unity because of the way everyone makes one comfortable around them and is willing to help at every given situation.” Manyewu would add.

Both Lusch and Manyewu will both be key players for the team this season. The club’s president is president Steen Vaca Diez, who will be serving his first year as their president. Vaca Diez played for three years prior to this and shared what will be different from a normal player to president.

“I always put a lot of effort in as a player like going out and training on my own so the time I’ve put in feels the same but I’m not on the field as much as I’m working on emails”.

For more information about the club team follow the team’s instagram @semomenssoccer, or contact Steen Vaca Diez through email at javacadiez1s@semo.edu.