Image Credit: Carmel Athletics Department Instagram

One of the new coaches joining the Carmel Athletics Staff this year is new Girls Soccer Head Coach John Simmonds. When I asked the new coach about his mentality heading into the season, he told me that “dedication, perseverance, and commitment are three traits the players and the staff need to have heading into the season in order for us to be successful.”

He becomes just the second coach in the program’s history as long-time coach Frank Dixon parted ways with Carmel during the off-season. This came after Carmel went 15-4-2 and lost in the Regional Championship to the East Central Panthers in a 0-0 Penalty Shootout. In terms of the state championship drought, Coach Simmonds simply replied “it’s been too long.”

Last year, Coach Simmonds took Park Tudor to Sectional Semi-Finals where they lost to the Brebeuf Braves 1-0. “I was initially hired by Park Tudor to find them a coach, and then I ended up taking the job. I said I would take it for a year, but I decided to stay because I really enjoyed it,” says Coach Simmonds on how he got started at Park Tudor.

When asked about why he chose to come to Carmel, Coach Simmonds commented that “the move came this year just because I have a daughter here, and I wanted some time to spend with her during her last couple of years of high school.”

During his time at Park Tudor, Coach Simmonds went to 4 state championships over a 6-year span, and hopes to continue that success with the Greyhounds. While this may seem like another routine coach hiring, Coach Simmonds has deep ties to Carmel High School. When asked about why he chose to come to Carmel, Coach Simmonds commented that “the move came this year just because I have a daughter here, and I wanted some time to spend with her during her last couple of years of high school.”

That daughter on the team is Emory Simmonds, a sophomore. While Coach Simmonds sites Emory as a main reason he made the decision to come to Carmel, Emory is not the first Simmonds to suit up for Carmel Girls Soccer. Two of Coach Simmonds’s daughters, Celia and Clare, previously played for Carmel Girls Soccer. When asked about what it was like to have his daughter on the team, Coach replied that “I try to hold her to a higher expectation or standard than other players, but I do appreciate the opportunity to spend some time with her.”

Another connection is his son, Will Simmonds, who is a former WHJE manager and current member of the Carmel Athletics Department. “WHJE has really helped him with his communication skills and relationships. It’s nice to have him available as part of the Athletics Department. He was fortunate to be part of WHJE when he was in high school.”

The Girls Soccer season kicks off this Saturday at 10:45 A.M. as they host the #1 team in the state, the Hamilton Southeastern Royals. Last Year, Carmel lost at HSE 3-1. While HSE remains the number one team in the state,  Coach Simmonds is hoping for a victory this Saturday. When asked about the matchup, Coach Simmonds stated that “this is probably one of the bigger high school games of the year. In my opinion, on paper right now, these are probably the best two teams in the state. We’ve already started watching film from years past, and the players’ mindsets seem different from past years, so hopefully we can turn this [all-time] series around.”

For the game’s broadcast, make sure to tune into 91.3 WHJE, Carmel. WHJE will be broadcasting every single home game for Carmel Girls Soccer and any playoff games they are involved in. For more information about Carmel Girls Soccer, visit the Carmel Athletics Website or the Carmel Girls Soccer Instagram page.