Success from the woodshed
North High Schools boys soccer team ringing the school victory bell. The team went on to have a memorable season.
November 11, 2021
Every team has a mantra, some more unique than others, and each with a different meaning. These mantras help build a team-up, boost the team morale as the clock is ticking, and provide a sense of pride. The boy’s soccer program of Westerville North High School has a unique approach to each game, practice, and fitness session. It’s called the ‘Woodshed Mentality.’
Senior captain Nick Tener explained the Woodshed Mentality as “Believing and fighting for each other, going in for every tackle, and going hard on every shot. If it is a 50/50 ball, it becomes 60/40 ours.”
The Woodshed Mentality started as a phrase used briefly at halftime, but coach Nate Hartnell was quick to coin the phrase as the mantra of the boy’s soccer program. The Woodshed Mentality doesn’t only apply to the varsity team, it is a program-wide way of thinking.
Tanner Overholts, who is a junior captain on the Junior Varsity “A” (JVA) describes the Woodshed Mentality as similar to Tener.
“To me, it means fighting for your team, fighting for your coach, and fighting for the pride of your school,” Overholts said.
As a captain, Overholts tries to always remind the team of their goals and what the goal of the Woodshed Mentality is.
“I try to make sure everyone is on board and I always try to hype everyone up before games,” Overholts said.
Overholts is hopeful that the Woodshed Mentality will stick around far past his four-year career at North.
“I think as long as coach Nate stays, the Woodshed Mentality will be around for a long time,” Overholts said.
Everybody on the team has a role to play in developing the Woodshed Mentality into a mindset that is with them every practice, game, and fitness session. Tener says his role as a two-time captain proves to be important when incorporating the Woodshed Mentality into the boy’s soccer program.
“I really try to emphasize that even if it is a practice, you go one-hundred percent, as hard as you can, and not trying to do anything dirty but just to prepare each other for when it comes to a game knowing you will be prepared and can trust each other” Tener said.
The Woodshed Mentality is unique, but holds a common lesson that everyone could learn from, whether one takes it to work, school, or sports, and can greatly influence the outcome of one’s hard work.
