After posting a 19-2-2 record and finishing near the top of District 7AAA play last season, the Cookeville Cavaliers boys soccer team is entering a new year with momentum, confidence and belief. At the center of it all is head coach Bralen Clouse, a former Cavalier himself.
Clouse played at Cookeville before continuing his career at Maryville College. Clouse said returning to lead his alma mater has given him a deeper sense of purpose.
“It’s always fun to come back and help grow that program into something that maybe it wasn’t whenever you get there or get it back to where it was when you were there,” Clouse said. “I want nothing but the best for this program and I think we’ve started off on the right foot for the first couple of years and now we’ve really hit our stride.”
Clouse said Cookeville’s recent success has not just shown up in the win column, with the culture inside the locker room evolving just as dramatically.
“When I first came into the program, it was a family, but it wasn’t kind of what we’ve grown it,” Clouse said. “I think success has really helped that as far as chemistry [goes.]”
Clouse said chemistry and confidence now define the Cavaliers. Still, the season will not be without challenges. Cookeville graduated six seniors, most of whom were starters and key contributors to last year’s run. Despite the losses, Clouse said he sees something building beneath the surface.
“We’re hoping to make a deep run again, kind of like we did last year,” Clouse said. “On paper, I firmly believe this is the best we’ve been in a very, very long time so I’m hoping we live up to the hype.”
Clouse said the mission goes beyond wins and postseason appearances. It is about restoring and sustaining a standard at the place that shaped him. And if the early returns are any indication, the Cavaliers are not just chasing another deep run. They are chasing a legacy.