WOODBURY — For Adam Brutting, Nonnewaug girls soccer’s new coach, it’s a familiar role. Although the specific role is new for Brutting, the job and some of the names aren’t distinct at all. 

Entering the 2024 Nonnewaug girls soccer season, the Chiefs adopted a new coach, Coach Brutting, an eighth-grade English teacher at Woodbury Middle School. With that comes many more difficult and different tasks and goals.

“The regiment is different between the high school and the middle school and is more structured,” said Brutting, who also coached the middle school boys soccer team for two decades. “The competitive level and expectations are higher, as well as the complexity of the things you do is a lot different compared to what it was at the middle school level.”

For Brutting’s players, having him on the sideline hasn’t been much of an adjustment at all. 

Nonnewaug senior co-captain Katie Farrell says it’s taken some adjusting, but overall Brutting’s addition has been good for the team. 

“I think getting a new coach was definitely an adjustment as we had to forget about our past habits and expectations, but [it was] also a good refresh for the team,” Farrell says. “Our new coach is very positive and puts the team in good spirits by creating a good environment for us.”

Some of the players adjusted well to having a new coach.

”He also is very mindful about making sure he is fair to the team and gives everyone good playing time, especially those that really deserve it,” Farrell adds. “He has been a great addition to this season and although it took some adjusting, our team really benefited from this change.”