After four years as an assistant under Bob Miller, first-year Cheboygan boys soccer coach Ryan Davis gets his chance to lead the program forward.
CHEBOYGAN – When it comes to soccer, Ryan Davis has a striker’s mindset.
A former all-stater and college player at Spring Arbor University, Davis bagged many goals on the pitch.
Now, Davis, a Lansing-area native, is getting his shot at leading a varsity program.
Davis, who’s spent plenty of years coaching soccer at the recreational level and recently four years as an assistant with Cheboygan, is already seeing progress in his first season in charge with the Chiefs.
On Monday, Davis coached his first home game for the Chiefs, who came up short against an always-strong Grayling side. While the Chiefs were shut out 6-0, their play on the field looked vastly improved compared to the struggles they endured during a winless 2024 campaign.
“We’re looking at how to learn from our mistakes while still being competitive,” Davis said. “Our next play is more important than the previous mistake, so moving on from that and showing them that they can actually stay in games and do well, even though they’ve made a mistake – that's what we want to do."
Prior to Monday’s clash, the Chiefs opened their campaign with a solid performance in a narrow loss at Kingsley last week. What’s been a boost to the Cheboygan program is more squad depth. The Chiefs now feature 18 boys on their roster, including eight sophomores and six freshmen.
Many of those players have potential, but Davis knows there will be growing pains.
“We’re still a very young team,” Davis said. “I’m thrilled about having the younger players coming up. Still, it’s going to be a development stage this year, completely formatting some of the focus on how we’re going to be proceeding, but ultimately, with the young kids, it shows that we’re going to have a lot of growth in the process.”
Engaging in more of a 1-on-1 approach has allowed Davis to bond with his players, who are aiming to develop and become a formidable team. It’s going to take some time, but Davis made it clear on what he wants his program to look like.
“The strategy is to play fun, fast and to be fierce on the field,” Davis said. “Those are some of my expectations and making sure they understand that on and off the field. The thing I want to make sure our boys understand is to be respectful, but we’re going to play our hearts out.”
For someone who never thought he’d be in the position he's in, Davis wants to turn things around and make his current group a cohesive unit. So far, strides have been made.
"They’re taking each lesson," Davis said. "Each day we’re working on stuff and getting better; they’re utilizing it, and they’re taking it to heart because I think they’re understanding more of the complexity of this level of play versus the rec league. They understand how to organize themselves to become a much better, more organized team. I’m looking forward to competing at this level.”
Cheboygan hosts the Elk Rapids junior varsity squad at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Davis thrilled to be leading Cheboygan boys soccer in first season
Category: General Sports
