Senior Turner ready for success to continue

Colin Turner knows a thing or two about winning. The senior has been a part of not only a very successful soccer program that has dominated the Miami Valley League, but also the basketball team he has been a key member of, which has captured several league titles.  Now, Turner and his team are focused on doing what it takes when the soccer team takes the field in August for the start of the new season. 

The focus is always one game at a time,” he said. “If we just focus on getting better each game, then everything else will fall into place.  We are fortunate that we have had such a strong program over the years. The coaches and players that have come through before us have set a very high bar.” “With those expectations, we know that we always have a target on our back, and that teams will give us their best effort each game we play. The coaches and Mr. Creamer (AD) do a great job of scheduling very challenging out-of-conference opponents.  Because of this, we always feel like we are prepared for the postseason. But, we also know that those expectations come with being a part of the Tippecanoe program. We will try our hardest to meet and or exceed them.”  

Being a leader for this group of teammates is very important for Turner, and the senior takes that responsibility very seriously.  “There certainly are some large shoes to fill,” he said. “We lost 12 seniors, including eight starters. That means we are going to need a lot of our JV players from last year to step up.  Our JV team only lost one game, so we know we have the talent. We need them to adjust to the speed and physicality of the varsity level. It also means we will need our seniors to take on bigger roles.” “All five of us seniors were on the state championship roster, so we know what it takes. It’s up to us to make sure the underclassmen put in the effort that it takes to succeed.”

Turner is very talented on the pitch. He was a second-team all-conference selection in both sports, but in soccer, he feels he can bring a lot to the table this fall to continue the success of the Tipp soccer program.  “Hopefully, everyone looks at the effort I put out on the pitch and realizes that’s what is needed for us to have a successful season,” Turner said. “You never know when it could be your last night on the field, which is a constant reminder to always try your best. I don’t want to ever have any regrets about not leaving it all on the field.”

“One thing that I know is that I’m going to be counted on to do is being more vocal.  Communication is key in soccer and Coach Slyman and Coach Porto are always on us about talking more.  As you mentioned previously, we will have a lot of new faces on the varsity squad, so getting used to playing with each other and growing our team continuity is going to be crucial this season, and I expect some hiccups along the way, especially early.” The dominance of the basketball team was also prevalent with consecutive league titles. As noted, Turner was all-conference on the hardwood and knows the loss to Franklin in the postseason is something they will remember and grow from heading forward.

“Confidence was a key factor in my improvement, and the longer the season went, the more comfortable I felt,” he said. “ Yes, we had a nice run in the league last year, but our run in the tournament fell short. June was a good opportunity for us to grow and get a good idea about what the team will look like this winter so we saw some guys step up.” “We are all going to work very hard to be the best we can. I know that I am expected to be more of a leader, and I’m still looking to build my confidence as well as help my teammates grow theirs as well.” Going forward, Turner looks forward to continue making memories with his activities as he has one year left in the red and white.

“I’ve been very fortunate to play on some great teams, with some great teammates, and great coaches,” he said. “I already have a few great memories that I will never forget. However, most of all, I will remember the camaraderie with the friends that I have played with for so many years.  I am grateful that I have had the opportunities to play these sports with all of my friends, and I’m really looking forward to playing one last year with them.”