The trek from the locker room to the practice field is a long one for the Southwestern men's soccer team. The players must cross a street, travel between the baseball and softball fields, walk past Varsity Field, and make their way down a slope before arriving at their own secluded piece of heaven.

Each step allows the players to shed a little of the world around them, moving away from pandemic protocols and the everyday pressures of a rigorous academic life and toward one of their few remaining escapes. Crossing the field's painted practice lines isn't quite as mystical as Doc Graham crossing a transformational threshold to become Moonlight Graham in the movie Field of Dreams, but it's close.

"The transfer from the academic side to the athletic side is important. We have guys coming from labs for pre-med biology classes, grueling business classes, and internships," head coach Dustin Norman says. "To just hit that switch and be out in the field in 15 minutes is difficult, regardless of age or experience." 

To ease the transition, the Pirates open the first 15-20 minutes of each practice with loud music, hearty laughs, and rondos—a soccer version of keep-away that ramps up to even higher levels of joy when Norman or assistant coach Marco Carvalho steps into the middle of the circle.

"It gives the team an opportunity to enjoy themselves and soak in the time together as a group," Norman says. "To leave whatever is going on in academics or real life on top of that hill and enjoy our time on the field for a moment." 

Once the music stops, it's time to get to work. 

In his third season running the program, Norman has quickly set about transforming its culture and style. The latter part was incidental. In their first season, Norman and Carvalho looked at the roster and determined the team couldn't match the conference's heavy-hitters in a battle of technical, possession-based soccer. 

The team turned to a grittier, more direct way of playing, defending deep and taking opportunities through set pieces out of throw-ins and corner kicks. 

"We believe in coaching to the talents of the team," Norman says. "If you have players great at one thing and not another, let's focus on what we're great at, whether it's playing direct or an ultra-possession style." 

Norman insists on one constant.  "We always want to make sure we're keeping the ball out of the net, whether it's pressing or defending deep. We're always going to make sure we're prepared," he says.

This part required overhauling the team's culture into one that embraced the intensity and workload demanded of it. 

"Soccer, regardless of how you frame it, is a grind. It's 90 minutes of intense running," Norman says. "Either you enjoy that part of it or you don't. If they're thrilled at the challenge of covering the ground and can still play that technical style, great, that's what we're recruiting." 

Over the past two summers, Southwestern has seen an influx of talented players. Midfielder Fernando Garduno-Jaramilo emerged as a rare first-year team captain last season, earning All-SCAC honorable mention honors along with Ashton Bynum. The current sophomore class also returns a slew of rotation players.

"We have a great base, and now we're supplementing it with excellent talent. Fernando showed rare maturity as a freshman and reflected exactly what we want from a leader. When I talk about the grind, he's a guy who enjoys both the gritty and fashionable pieces of the game," Norman says. "Ashton does things that are different than most players. He sees passes the everyday player doesn't, which is why he found success last year.

"Then there are guys like Jack Viles, who competed for starting goalkeeper, and Wren Mayberry, who are integral to what we're doing. And Jack Adams dealt with injuries but found success in the attacking third and scored a few big goals for us at the end of games." 

The freshman class brings 17 new members capable of competing for starting spots at every position. 

"They're going to have the opportunity to compete for playing time immediately. It doesn't matter if you're 18 or 22 years old; the best players will play," Norman says. "Of the three years I've been here, this is the first time our scrimmages have become games in and of themselves. It's exciting for us as a program because we're pushing each other to improve every day. We have to get it right, and the freshmen need to learn the ropes, but it's an exciting group." 

One of the few silver linings of the delayed start to the season is the extra time freshmen have had to acclimate themselves to college life and get up to speed. 

"That additional semester of training is going to be massive for them. It's going to give the young guys a chance to do some big things," Norman says. "At the same time, if you look at all the teams that make big postseason runs, they're all junior- and senior-heavy. We have a few guys who have been through the wringer, have seen the ups and downs, and understand what it takes."

The program has lost some talented players in the transition process over the last three years. Only four upperclassmen remain on the roster, including junior Scott Wilson and seniors Jackson Krueger, Luis Ramirez, and Garrison Van Houten. 

Still, those who bought into the new culture immediately saw the dividends. Norman's first senior class of Zach Gibson, Colin Maloney, Alex Newell, and Jake Swonke earned the team's first NCAA tournament berth in 2018. Injuries derailed the 2019 season. The team's intended starting lineup suited up for the first and last games of the season, but none in between. 

Van Houten has emerged as a second-team All-SCAC defender, Ramirez a reliable midfielder, Wilson a 15-game starter, and Krueger split time at goalkeeper. 

"Their experience is going to bless us. Garrison, Jackson, and Luis understand what it takes every day in training," Norman says. "That's what the younger guys miss. They look at the end goal instead of focusing on the here and now."

The enthusiasm of the younger players combined with the experience of the veterans has resulted in a fantastic blend through the fall and winter, with teammates maintaining their training and conditioning through difficult times. 

"What we've got is a team that understands our expectations, and when it's something you enjoy, it's not a grind anymore. It's soccer," Norman says. "We're pleased with the level of talent, academic success, and wonderful human beings we have on this team." 

The Pirates end each practice as they began, carrying joy and camaraderie up the hill and back to the real world. 

"The guys are always laughing and smiling coming down the hill, and when you have them doing that and enjoying each other's company coming and leaving, you're in a great place," Norman says. "We're taking a group of players and making them a team on the way to becoming a family, and families win championships." 

For more SU Pirate photos, please see Carlos Barron Photography