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Chat With Head Soccer Coach Matt Potter on Tuesday, August 19 at 5:00 PM PT.

Moderator: Good evening Cougar fans and thank you for visiting wsucougars.com and this evening's chat with Washington State Head Soccer Coach Matt Potter. The Cougars open their 2008 season this Friday (Aug. 22) at Montana. Additionally, big news on the Cougar soccer front was announced today as junior Kiersten Dallstream has been named to the United States Under-20 Women's National Team that will compete at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, Nov. 19-Dec. 7. Coach Potter, thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to join us this evening.

Matt Potter: First of all, thank you for the opportunity for me to be here. We are excited to start a new fall season. It's great to see familiar faces on and off campus as we start a new campaign. Obviously, we are delighted for Kiersten. It speaks to the level of player here at Washington State and Kiersten's commitment and work ethic. We are very proud and wish the whole national team well.

Moderator: Okay, let's get to some questions.

Jeremy (Philadelphia): Hey coach! With so many kids now playing soccer, and the quality of play in the US rising, how do you attack recruiting? Do you scout High School athletes like other sports, or do you focus more on ODP teams, premier clubs, etc?

Matt Potter: First of all, I have a great staff. They work extremely hard to find the best talent across the country that we feel would be a fit for Washington State. Ultimately, we recruit players based on personality and ability, regardless of high school or Premier Club soccer. We begin our recruiting in the Northwest looking to build our regional ties, and then we look throughout the West Coast and ultimately the country for players that fit the philosophy of our program.

Sammy (Tri-Cities): Loaded schedule coach. What do you see as the biggest hurdles on the slate?

Matt Potter: We're excited about our schedule and the opportunities it will bring. We'll obviously be tested with our first four weekends on the road. Traveling across the country to Virginia and Tennessee will be a great test of our ability on a national stage. Playing top teams in a competitive environment has always been our philosophy in preparation for Pac-10 play. This year we also play a lot of Northwest rivals, which adds an added dimension. It's always a pleasure to play in the Pac-10 and to test ourselves against the best. That is something we look forward to doing. In all, we anticipate it is a schedule that will earn us a berth in the tournament, provided we play our part.

Dave Kelley East Wenatchee: How are this years freshmen doing? What contributions do you see this group making to the team? Are there and individuals standing out right now or making good imressions on coaching staff?

Matt Potter: Dave, it's always fascinating to see how new members adapt to our group. Credit to our returners in that they have welcomed our freshmen with open arms. Our team chemistry and the relationships they have already built has been fun to witness. Already it's been fun. We are looking for a significant contribution from this group, and as a staff, we have been delighted with their efforts so far. As we look toward our first game, I would not be surprised to see some of our group compete for starting spots, as well as significant time during the season.

Tammy (Spokane): Hi Coach Potter. Do you set goals for the team at the beginning of the season? If so, what are this year's main team goals?

Matt Potter: Tammy, thank you for the question. Each academic year the group sets individual and team goals centered around our vision for the program. Our overall vision for each student-athlete in their time at Washington State is to leave a more complete person. We set goals in relation to soccer, academics, and life skills. For soccer we set individual performance goals and collectively agree to team goals that allow us to all strive for the same thing. These are personal to the team members; however, they reflect our ambition to be a tournament team and ultimately one of the premier programs in the nation.

Rex (Chicago): I see lots of freshman and sophomores on the roster. Do we have alot of depth? Where do you see the leadership coming from?

Matt Potter: One of the exciting things from this group is that I think, player for player, we are potentially as talented and as deep a team in my time here at Washington State. Losing eight seniors and some key leadership from last fall has asked the question of leadership and who will step forward. One thing that has impressed me has been each player's attitude and commitment to improve upon all aspects of our team. We are not a dictatorship and enjoy the feedback and input of our student-athletes. Our incoming players have already added to this, and although we have selected team captains, it's great to know that any member of the team is willing to take the opportunity to lead.

Andrew (Seattle): Quite confused as to how the Cougs have been snubbed in the postseason selection process. How can you take the decision out of the committee's hands and get in the tourney this year?

Matt Potter: Andrew, I just gotten over this, so thanks for the reminder! Seriously, the committee has to make a tough decision, one we have not agreed with, but one we respect. How do we take it out of the committee's hands? We have been working hard to consistently improve upon performance. We have taken the time to recognize our strengths, and focus on the good work and foundation we have in place. But we have also recognized there are areas where we haven't fulfilled our potential. As we look to the new season, we are excited about the challenges ahead and the opportunity to be recognized as a future tournament team.

Moderator: Okay, that's all the time we have. Matt, thank you once again for joining us this evening.

Matt Potter: I would like to thank all the Cougars out there for your support of our team. We look forward to the upcoming season and representing WSU on a national stage. I would like to take the opportunity to wish all the Cougar sports well this year. In particular, I would like to wish Paul and Andrew all the best in their first seasons at WSU. Go Cougs!

Moderator: Thank you to everyone for your questions. Remember, to get all the information about WSU Athletics, go no further than wsucougars.com, the official website of Cougar Athletics. Please check back to wsucougars.com for future online chats.