By Zach S. (7th grade)
On Wednesday, October 13, 2010, I managed to interview our MAC Inly soccer team head coach, Ned DiGregorio. MAC (Montessori Athletic Conference) is an interscholastic league of 12 Montessori middle schools in Massachusetts. Our division has four schools, and we will each play four home and four away games.

Zach: How do you think the team is doing so far?
Ned: I think the season is going well. We are more of a team this year than we were last year. Last year we had a lot of good individual players, but this year we have more team players.
Zach: What is the best quality of the team right now?
Ned: I think that we have a good defense this year. I think that we’ll have great teamwork and good passing.

Zach: What do you think the team will make the most progress on this year?
Ned: Coach Barbara and I have been talking about team defense. We think that the team defense will progress a lot through out the year.
Zach: What else do we need to improve on this year?
Ned: I think that we can definitely work on individual skills and experience by just playing.
Zach: How long have you been playing soccer?

Ned: I have been playing over 30 years. I was a four year- starter in college and went on to semi-professional playing for Boston’s United.
Zach: Are you looking for leaders on the team this year?
Ned: Yes, I would say all the 8th graders who participated in last years’ soccer team.
Zach: How are practices going so far?
Ned: Great, we’ve had three practices this year so its going well. I like to have the team do three things during practices. Individual, skills, team play, and then a scrimmage.
Zach: How do you think the first game will go?
Ned: Honestly, I don’t know. I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes and how the new kids play.
[Zach S. plays for Inly.]
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Thanks Zach – Well done, way to make me look good.
I never knew Ned was such a famous athlete! Thanks for sharing this and the news about the team.
Zach,
Terrific article. I also didn’t know that Ned had played semi-professional. You are lucky to have him as a coach. ¡ Buena suerte en los juegos de fútbol!
Great interview. Ned always looks so “professional” in his soccer duds. Good luck to the Inly team this year!
Zach-
Your interview was well organized, and I like how you asked Ned tough questions. I hope that you will continue to write in the blog. So many Inly students are working on great things, you have lots of material.
Chris-
I did not know that you were a photographer, great shot.