The thump of a cleat hitting a soccer ball, kicking up bits of rubber turf as it flies towards the goalkeeper’s padded glove is a sound that’s impossible to forget for Charlie Johnson after finishing his four years as a goalkeeper for York College.

That’s why in May of this year, Charlie Johnson accepted the position of head men’s soccer coach, taking over the program for previous head coach, Graeme Millar.

“I think we had all created a little bit of a bond with [Millar], so we were sad to see him go, but I think we were excited because we knew that we were getting a guy with a lot of knowledge and understanding about the game, and we thought he could bring our level up. And I think he has already, and it’s only been a short period of time,” second-year and center back Jacob Greene said.

Johnson has an extensive background in both playing and coaching soccer. After his student-athlete career at York, he served as an assistant coach at McDaniel College as well as Penn State University Harrisburg, later becoming a goalkeeper coach for Division I Lafayette College. Now part of the Mustang family, he has high hopes for the men’s soccer program.

“I just wanna create a stable and successful foundation. I think that’s just the baselayer where I wanna start these next one or two seasons,” Johnson said. “Then honestly, just to build up the program, to be pretty reputable in this region. This region for Division III men’s soccer is such a prestigious area with a lot of soccer talent with a lot of great coaches, and I just want Stevenson men’s soccer to be part of that conversation.”

Kicking off the season, Johnson led the team to victory in their first game against Allegheny College on August 30.

“Preseason went very well; the guys bought in right away, which I thought was very impressive for a group of 39 to trust a young head coach. The competitiveness is always there, ready to work. That led into our first game, where we won 1-0, so It was great to get the first one of the season early,” Johnson said. 

Johnson and the team formed bonds with each other quickly, finding common ground in their dedicated personas and strong work ethics. 

“I love the guys I inherited. They have high standards of themselves, which is awesome, because I can then hold them to those high standards without them getting upset or me being unrealistic,” Johnson said. “They’re a driven group and committed group. I’m a driven and committed coach. We’re all trying to prove something here.”

Many of the players, such as third-year and forward PJ Cera, have already taken a liking to Johnson’s coaching style, excited for what he brings to the table this season.

“He’s definitely smarter tactically and just has a better game plan going into things,” Cera said.

Last Wednesday, the Mustangs lost to Salisbury University in a tough away game. Although the score was 4-2, Johnson encouraged the team to move forward in a productive manner.

“Whether we win or lose, he highlights some positives to get us excited to move forward, but he also gives us the tough love and makes sure we know what we need to work on. So whether we win or lose, we’re improving,” Greene said.

While the team works to develop their skills and tactics each day, the game can take a toll on both the players’ and coach’s mental and emotional states.

“You first have to drive a couple hours away, and then you play an emotional game where it goes down to the wire, and then you relax for the next day, and then in two days you’re gonna have to play again and maybe have to do it 17 more times throughout the course of three months,” Johnson said.

Nevertheless, looking forward, Johnson’s main goal is to instill strong mentalities and confidence in his players.

“I feel like a lot of players and student athletes just get a little shaken up when they make mistakes, and they can’t really cover for that. So I’m really more into the intrinsic factors of having the guys with the right mentality and attitude to persevere, regardless if it’s soccer related or not. I just want them to be the best versions of themselves,” Johnson said.

Johnson and the team look to play their next game against Elizabethtown College this Saturday at 1 p.m. Their first conference game is October 5 against Hood College.