The Jefferson City Lady Jays coaching staff met with the team's seniors prior to the first preseason practice.
With just three seniors, it wasn't a crowded get-together. But it was productive.
"We're really looking to them for leadership," Jefferson City coach Tom Guinn said as the Lady Jays prepared to face Rolla in the season-opener tonight at the 179 Soccer Park. "We had a good talk with them about the importance of being good leaders, be willing to talk about their experiences for the past three years, make sure they support everyone in the program.
"They were very receptive and I think it's showed in our practices and hopefully will carry over into the games."
And as preseason practices wound down, the benefits of the meeting with the senior trio of Kenzie Gourley, Ria Tosikas and Lexi Acock have blossomed.
"The group is cohesive, which I believe is so important," Guinn said. "There's been a lot of camaraderie so far. They have done a great job of using their experience to the benefit of the underclassmen."
Gourley, who will be a starter for a fourth season, missed time last season with a knee injury.
"She is a critical returning player, I think she's determined to have the best senior year she's capable of having," Guinn said. "She can lead with her play, but also with her experience and her work ethic and her communication.
"She is showing the other girls what it's like to be a Jay."
Gourley will be a starter at striker.
Acock is also a striker.
"She's going to have a significant role, swapping in and out with Kenzie," Guinn said. "Lexi is a good distributor of the ball, using the other players around her."
Totsikas will start at an outside midfielder spot.
"When we started, she has been 100 percent committed and shown up for everything," Guinn said. "She's going to see more playing time than she has in the past because of the work she has put in.
"She can create some things for us."
While there are no seniors starting on the defensive side, the Lady Jays have some talented players holding down the spots.
Halle Bohlken, a junior, is a two-year starter at center back.
"We're going to put a lot on her shoulders," Guinn said.
Tessa Sigmund, another junior, will move to the other center back spot after serving as a utility player last season.
Gretta Haarmann, a junior, will start at one of the outside back spots. The other spot will be held by a rotation of the trio of junior Jamie Rodieck, sophomore Morgan Drury and freshman Delaney Kaiser.
Megan Duffield, a junior, returns at goalkeeper.
Starting at center-mids are sophomore Kaitlyn Schwandtner and freshman Daelynn Scheulen.
"They've shown a lot in the preseason and I think with a little bit of game-time, they are going to be pretty solid and get some chemistry," Guinn said. "They have to be the motor in the middle, be ready to move a lot and I think both of those girls are very capable of that."
Morgan Jordan, a junior returning starter, will join Tosikas at outside midfielders.
Sasha Campbell, a junior, will be a starter up front.
"She had a big goal against Helias in the Jamboree and that's something we're expecting from her," Guinn said. "She's come a long way in the off-season in a more attacking role, she's finding the back of the net more in practice than she did in the past."
Guinn said the Lady Jays will be counting on their reserves as the season goes along.
"There will be players that will develop during the season that will step into roles for us," he said. "We have a lot of depth on the bench, we will be getting quality minutes from them once they earn their playing time.
"We don't lose much when we go to the bench."
It will be a busy opening week for the Lady Jays. After tonight's game, Jefferson City will host Springfield Catholic on Wednesday before heading to the Parkway Shootout on Friday and Saturday.
Jefferson City will host the district tournament. Waynesville, Rock Bridge and Sedalia Smith-Cotton. Lady Jays fell to Rock Bridge in the title game last season in Columbia.
"The district championship is a goal for us and I think that is a reasonable goal and one we will work every day toward," Guinn said.
Today's game, slated for a 6:45 p.m. start after the 5 p.m. JV contest, is a change from the original schedule. The game had been slated for April 30.