IAC BOYS SOCCER: YOUNG SVEC TEAM PREPARING FOR 2025 SEASON (12 PHOTOS) (2025-08-22)

By TIM BIRNEY
Tioga County Sports Report
CANDOR — With big numbers, SVEC boys soccer coaches Jason Banks and Gary Holmes, who returns after a few years away from the program, are busy preparing a young team preparing for the 2025 season.

"It's always good to start a new season," said Banks.

"It will be a different squad this year, so we're looking forward to the new challenges," he added.

Banks said his rosters are brimming at both levels.

"Our numbers are great," he said. "We have 20 or 21 on varsity, and 24 or 25 on the modified team, so numbers aren't an issue.

"We're just going to be young," noted Banks. "Equivalently, we're probably like a STAC JV team. We have a lot of 9th- and 10th-graders on the team, which is great for the future."

Banks said the coaching duo is sticking to the basic in the preseason.

"We're just getting back to what we've always been and that's a team where we talk about the about the small little technical-like fundamental skills that we want to make sure we get to, versus the fancy things everyone else is doing.

"We just want to make sure we have a great first touch and we can beat people one-on-one, then we can work on the bigger tactical stuff later," said Banks.

The Eagles open the 2025 campaign Wednesday at home against Whitney Point after just seven practices.

"We have seven practices and then our first game, so we didn't have time for a scrimmage, but everybody is in the same boat," said Banks.

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IN PHOTO 1: SVEC coach Jason Banks. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.

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