BATH

New Morse High School girls soccer coach Branden Noltkamper had a plan as he began his Shipbuilder journey this summer.

“Practices on Monday and Friday, games on Wednesday,” said the excited new coach.

Mother Nature had other ideas.

“We had a thunderstorm that first Monday, so practice was canceled, then we played Brunswick in our first summer match that Wednesday,” said the coach after his team not-surprisingly lost to the Dragons.

And, the rain kept coming.

“Friday, it rained again, so no practice, and once again on Monday … rain! We played Lewiston, and that Friday the rain came down again, so no practice for a second straight week,” said Noltkamper.

Week 3 of summer soccer came around, and finally the rain stayed away, allowing the new leader to run his near 40-member summer program squad through a practice.

“We really wanted to walk into those first games better prepared, but we realized that this program is pretty good,” said the first-year varsity coach and Morse High School graduate (2006). “It has been a productive summer. We are seeing the benefits, as we had anywhere from 35-38 kids come out each day to voluntary practices. We had some ups and downs. This team is young.”

Background

Noltkamper was a three-year varsity soccer player for the Shipbuilders, garnering all Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference honors his senior year before venturing off to Saint Joseph’s College, where he was a member of a solid program.

“We were the beginning of that foundation of success, and we won our first conference title while I was there,” said Noltkamper, a centerback who majored in physical education, graduating in 2011.

Noltkamper hooked up with Seacoast United and works full-time while coaching. This past season, he coached the U11 and U13 girls after leading the Senior girls in past years.

He decided to make a run for the vacant head coaching position at Morse after serving as an assistant coach at women’s soccer programs at Bates College, Maine Maritime Academy and the University of Southern Maine.

Noltkamper, who resides in Bath, takes over a girls soccer program that has seen success over the past decade.

Steve Boyce coached the Shipbuilders during the last nine seasons, with each year a winning campaign. In 2011 and 2012, Morse advanced to the Class B West regional final, falling on both occasions to Falmouth. Boyce’s 2011 squad went 14-0 during the regular season, followed by a 12-1-1 campaign the following season.

In Boyce’s final season at the helm, Morse finished 9-3- 2, good for the No. 5 seed in B South. A 2-0 loss to fourth-seeded York ended the campaign.

Boyce concluded his tenure with a career mark of 94-33-13 (including playoffs).

“This has been a solid program, and I am excited to be a part of it,” Noltkamper said.

With any new coaching job, a coach brings in different philosophies, a different voice, and Noltkamper is no different.

“I see (the players) in different roles than they are likely used to,” said the coach, whose Shipbuilders open the KVAC regular season Aug. 31 at Medomak Valley. “I am working with them to work hard on our style so they will always be ready, not have to get ready. We shouldn’t have to ‘switch it on’ when needed. They are a young group, and they may not recognize the tactics right now or what it will take to have continued success.”

Noltkamper has worked to make sure his squad does not become complacent.

“We played Mt. Ararat during the summer, and the players felt they were going to win easily. Instead, Mt. Ararat won, 7-0. We can’t be complacent and expect that just by stepping on the field that we will have success. It will take a lot of hard work and doing things the right way,” Noltkamper said.

The Wednesday games during the summer months were difficult at times.

“Having 35 or so kids at every game can be difficult because you’re looking to develop them, but they are only on the field for 10 minutes at a time before the next group comes on.” said Noltkamper. “It is hard to develop a routine that way, however it allowed me to see what they could do. Every kid that played in those games is important to the success of the program going forward. Plus, the benefits we saw right away.”

Noltkamper has received positive feedback from the Bath community.

“This community has been fantastic, with a lot of community backers,” said Noltkamper. “We have been in contact with the Bath Recreation Department. We are planning youth nights during the season, hoping to get even more people excited about Morse girls soccer.”

On Oct. 6, Morse will host Hyde on McMann Field in the “Battle of Bath,” with a Winner’s Cup up for grabs.

“Hyde has the cup in its trophy case, and when I played, it was something to play for at the end of the year that was exciting,” Noltkamper said.

Prior to that, Noltkamper hopes to lead his team into the postseason and make a solid run toward an elusive state title. That initial step comes Monday, with the Shipbuilders officially kicking off the fall sports season with their first practice.