Things were looking up for Noah Luescher and the Binghamton men's soccer team following the 2019 season. The Bearcats returned to the America East Tournament after a two-year absence. He had been named second-team all-conference and was a repeat selection on the America East All-Academic Team.
The Bearcats were in the thick of training for their spring season when the COVID-19 pandemic brought everything to a halt. Luescher and the team won't be competing this fall but they look ahead to the spring in the hopes that they can regain their momentum from last fall.
Describe how it feels to be back on campus and being around some of your teammates again.
It's great to be back with my teammates after not being able to see them for almost five months. Reconnecting with all of them has been great so far and I simply cannot wait to be back in action on the field again!
What was it like having to come back to the U.S. from Switzerland? Did you have to quarantine. If so, what was it like during that time?
It was not easy leaving my family after being with them for so long but I was definitely looking forward to being back in the US and getting some kind of normality back. I was quarantining according to the guidelines provided by our medical staff. It was bearable since I was able to spend that time with some of my teammates and enjoying each other's company during these unprecedented times.
You were around your family a lot during the time you were gone from campus. How much closer did you get to them while you were back home?
My family and I are very close and being able to see them for so long was one of the few positives that came out of this pandemic. I haven't seen them for this long ever since I moved to the US in 2017. Connecting with them as well as all my friends from back home was great and I enjoyed every second of it. We still are in contact multiple times a week and this pandemic has indeed brought us even closer than before.
Let's talk now about the team. How did you guys manage to stay in touch these last six months?
We stayed in touch through our group chats where we communicated with each other and were able to keep us all up to date as to what everyone was uo to during quarantine. The coaching staff also did a great job of keeping the team together during that time. We created a book club, where we read a book together and discussed it in weekly zoom meetings. We also had one team zoom meeting every week to catch up and try to plan our next steps, which wasn't always easy, since guidelines and situations were ever changing. But we managed to get through that time as a team and be closer together than ever.
Do you think the team has gotten closer despite all of the obstacles you've faced?
Definitely. Coming back after such a long time, it is not guaranteed that things kick off on a good note right away but we felt as close to each other than ever and were just delighted to be together again and finally see a finish line ahead as to when we can get back on the field again.
How much of a support have Coach Marco and Coach Moon been to you during this time?
They have been terrific during this time. They were putting in a lot of hard work to ensure we stay together and be ready to come back together as soon as possible. I have been in contact with them a lot during these times trying to figure out the best game plan for this unusual season. We are lucky to have a coaching staff that is in this with their whole heart and always have our best interest at heart.
Back in the spring, Coach Marco set up Zoom calls with the alums and current players? If you were on one of those calls, what was that like?
It was a great experience. Getting to know some of the alums and receiving tips for them regarding our time in Binghamton as well as our time after college has been very interesting and insightful. I hope to connect more with our great alums during my senior season and getting to know some of them even more.
Even though you won't be competing in matches this fall, what do you think the team can do to gel on the field?
This is a time where we can totally just focus on ourselves and getting our game to the next level. It is a time to work on our fitness and once we are allowed to get back those connections we were forming last Spring. We were on a great path and I plan to get back on it as soon as possible.
Last season, the team closed out on a high note, winning three of its final four conference matches and finally making it back to the playoffs? What was the key to the success in late October-early November?
We were hoping to go even further last fall. We definitely had the potential and the chances to beat Hartford and proceed to the semis. But trying to take out the positives of the last season, we definitely moved closer together and all got on the same page. We knew what it took to become a winning team and every single one of the guys bought into their roles and it paid off. Even though we didn't get the result we wanted to in the end, it gave all of us a lot of motivation to be even better next season.
Does last year's finish give the team a lot of confidence moving forward.
Definitely. Seeing the immense progress we went through as a team just motivates us to become better and better. Having such a young team and being able to grow so much just gives all of us hope and determination to become better. We know we have great potential in this team and we can't wait to live up to it.
You are a very involved person on campus with other activities and were around people a lot before the pandemic. Has it been a challenge to adjust to remote correspondence instead of seeing people in person?
It was quite the adjustment indeed. I am a very social person and like to get out of the house and be around people a lot. Not being able to have these social interactions was tough and definitely an adjustment but it is important to follow guidelines for our safety and especially the safety of others.