University of Virginia Library

Burris' Booters Back Early
To Improve 4-5-1 Season

After three days of limited
practice Coach Gordon Burris feels
hesitant to make predictions on the
coming soccer season but does have
confidence in the nucleus of returnees
including five of six regular
attackmen and Tri-captains John
Taylor, Danny Abramson, and Mike
Sorenson.

Hopes for improvement on last
year's 4-5-1 record rest mainly in
the returning strength of the
interior of the offensive line and
defense along with some depth
gained from the unknown talents of
the first-year class.

Second-year men Jay Connor,
Phil Crane, John Mertenz, and
Frank Sterdjevic provide the
necessary scoring punch from the
center forward and inside positions.

One of the wing forward spots
will most probably be held down
by Fred McGlynn while the other is
up for grabs.

Returning at halfbacks are
standout performer John Taylor,
John Hodges, Randy Sules, and
John Bakhaus, who sat out the
major part of last season with an
injured back. Possible fullbacks to
join Captain Sorenson in protecting
Danny Abramson's goal are Dave
Bowman, Robbins Pancake, and
Tom Showalter.

With the addition of two
graduate students, Ian Faulconer
and Richard Lewis, to his staff as
assistant coaches Coach Burris has
already noticed the advantages
gained by access to three opinions
instead of one. Faulconer and
Lewis will definitely help
particularly during the first few
weeks in which first-year talent
must be judged and subsequently
integrated with the returning assets
to form a soccer team prepared to
take the field.

With approximately the same
schedule as last year's and seven of
ten games to be played at home,
Burris needs only some depth at
certain positions from the first-year
men, the same type of determination
as in 1968 from the team, and
a little bit of luck from somewhere
to have a successful soccer season.

Inside Forward Frank Sterdjevic Battles For Ball At Midfield

Coach Burris' Booters Are Back Early Preparing For Fall Season