SPORTS

Ryan Otis becomes the head of the herd for Bedford North Lawrence boys soccer

Former Stars goal keeper moves up as head coach after Jackson steps down

Jeff Bartlett
The Times-Mail

BEDFORD — With his background on the family cattle farm in Fayetteville, Ryan Otis knows all about calling — and occasionally culling — the herd.

In his new role as head coach of the Bedford North Lawrence boys soccer program, Otis will be doing a lot more calling than culling as he seeks soccer studs to lead the team forward in the 2022-23 season.

Ryan Otis notches a save against Bloomington South when he was the goal keeper for the Stars back in 2009.

Otis has moved up to head coach after serving as an assistant for the last three years to Logan Jackson, who decided to step down during the offseason after seven seasons leading the Stars.

"I've been Logan's assistant the last three years and I really enjoyed that, so I don't know if becoming the head coach is something I really thought a lot about," Otis said. "I had refereed soccer when I was in college, so I was able to stay involved with the game that way, and I just like to be around it in some aspect. But Logan decided to step aside to spend more time with his family, which is understandable with a new little girl.

"So when he decided to do that I thought it just kind of made sense to maybe move over and give it a try. I've already been working with these kids the last three years, so I think it will go pretty smoothly.

"Logan and I have been friends and played soccer together since second grade, and played together at BNL (graduating in 2009) so it's just kind of natural to move over and try to continue what Logan was doing. You won't see any kind of drastic changes. Having been together that long, we both have pretty much the same thoughts and approaches to soccer."

Jules a jewel for Jackson

Jackson did an exemplary job as head coach of the Stars, coaching at a school and community where soccer is not in the upper echelon among favorite sports. But earlier this year a jewel of his life arrived in baby girl Jules, so he and his wife, Alyssa, know it's time to turn the focus to the little one.

Logan Jackson

"It was just time to step aside and spend more time with my wife and new baby," Jackson said. "The mother shouldn't have to assume all that responsibility on her own, and I want to be around to spend time with Jules and help out as much as I can.

"I know Ryan will do a great job. He's already been coaching with us (Jim Jackson, Logan's father, was also an assistant) and knows the system and he really knows and loves the sport. The kids know him well, so it should transfer over real easily."

Logan Jackson breaks through with the ball against Bloomington North during sectional action in 2009. Jackson has stepped down as BNL boys soccer coach and has handed the reins to lifelong friend and teammate Ryan Otis.

Jackson said he isn't ruling out coaching again in the future, though it could come in a different sport. He was also a tremendous center fielder for the Stars in his prep days, and something in that vein could be of interest.

"I'm definitely not ruling out coaching again in the future, but it might be in baseball," he confirmed. "I'm not sure about anything and it will be a little bit if at all, but I love baseball, too, and there's been some thought about that. I do enjoy working with kids."

Logan Jackson runs down the third base line to score against Columbus East during his high school playing days at BNL.

Otis must rebuild

Farming is Otis' side job. He works full-time as a credit officer for Farm Credit Mid-America (which specializes in agricultural lending) after earning a degree in Accounting & Finance at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota.

Farming, however, is a full-time foray that involves a lot of time fixing things. That kind of effort and patience will come in handy for Otis because he has a big rebuilding job in front of him. The Stars lost nine seniors, including top scorers Clayton Burgess, Danny Cline, Josh Anderson and Kaleb Sowders, keeper Tanner Robbins and backup Javier Paredes, and defenders Zaiden Flinn, Andrew Davis and Reinyn Clute.

New BNL boys soccer head coach Ryan Otis (second from right) and outgoing head coach Logan Jackson (far right) are shown with Jase and Erin Gratzer before the final Devon Hensley Memorial Golf Scramble.

"We lost a bunch of good seniors, but the cupboard is definitely not bare," Otis assessed. "e've had a good turnout for our preseason conditioning and the two-a-week sessions we've had during the limited contact period. We might not be as deep as last year, but we have some good kids coming back and some good young ones coming up.

"And we had 51 kids come out to our camp (last week). Logan didn't have the hard numbers, but he said he's sure there was only one year during his seven when they had a larger turnout for camp than that, so that's really encouraging.

"Logan and Jim came back out and helped me, and my players did a good job with the kids (1st- through 8th-grade), so it was a good week."

Otis stressing work over style

As a holdover from Jackson's era, Otis is essentially set the on-field approach he plans to take. What he is going to emphasize over playing style is outworking BNL's opponents.

"As far as style of play, it makes sense to adapt to your players and fit your attack around them and what they can do best," he explained. "As far any higher philosophy than that, I want our kids to work as hard as they possibly can in practice to get in great condition so that we can outwork people on the field.

"I believe if we focus on working that hard and we play together then the results will take care of themselves out on the field. With soccer, as far as I'm concerned, it's about the process more than style. So we'll worry about ourselves more than the opponent and put in the work that we need to improve as a team."

Developing feeder system

Otis is hoping to build up the feeder program by working closely in conjunction with Lawrence County Orbit Youth Soccer.

"I've been talking to them at Orbit and went out to visit with the Orbit board recently, and I was just trying to pump the kids up about soccer and hoping to motivate them to play in high school," Otis said. "And a couple of the Orbit coaches came and helped with our camp, which was greatly appreciated.

Youngsters in the Orbit Futbol Club leagues enjoy a game at Otis Park. New BNL boys soccer coach Ryan Otis hopes to work with the club to benefit each program.

"I really feel like we each have to help each other, so if I can go out to some of their workouts or games and just talk with the kids, maybe try to get them excited about the sport and staying with it, then I certainly will.

"I had one of the board members tell me that last fall they had their largest turnout for the program in a long time, so that's a great sign of interest level. And there's been some talk about Orbit going back to having travel teams like they used to several years go.

"Right now it's registered as recreational. Jennings County just moved up to travel status, so we are now the only school in the Hoosier Hills Conference that does not have a program feeding in that is travel level. It would be great if that gets moved up, and I hope we can work together to make the game better in Bedford."

Contact Times-Mail Sports Writer Jeff Bartlett at jeffb@tmnews.com, or on Twitter @jeffbtmnews.