Missouri Military Academy is looking for a new start this season.

Now Gil Hooker is the new head coach, the Colonels are going for an improvement from last year’s 2-22 season. MMA will have returning players when some finish the state Final Four soccer season but many more with some good skills.

Hooker said about 15 will be on the varsity roster, 10 for junior varsity and some freshman and sophomores can form a frosh team. He said MMA can use its size to its advantage but will need to work on other areas.

“We’ll be working from the inside out with all the size we do have,” Hooker said. “We want to get the ball inside. Transitional defense is something we’re going to need to work on. Our offense is a little stale, but that comes with repetitions and learning each other.”

Gihana Favour Nziza is a huge part of the soccer team’s success as the goalkeeper but is a huge part of the Colonels on the court. His 6-foot-7 frame towers over everybody on the floor.

Mateo Eaton is MMA’s starting point guard, and Eric Shellabarger is another soccer player that will be on junior varsity at least but has a chance to appear on varsity. Hooker said Miles Matthews and Kennedy Barchigei are some key returners from last year and Ievi Foster is a transfer that provides depth at point guard.

“We’ve got a bunch of kids from different places,” Hooker said. “We’re putting it all together.”

Barchigei has shown the ability to play good pressure defense and point guard, like Hooker observed in MMA’s preseason jamboree at Van-Far. Hooker said Carson Mulvaney is a shooter that can get hot after he hits one of two from the perimeter, and Lance Latting and Pierce Essex are good shooters.

Manzur Manzur is a big kid that should improve with footwork and practice with Hooker’s brother and assistant coach Verlyn Johnson. Seydina Issa Diop should fill in as a backup role for Nziza, Hooker said, and Khas-Erdene Sod-Erdene can be a “switch player” and fill either guard or forward. Todbileg Boldbaatar, Nziza’s younger brother Gihana Honour Neza, Foluwasha Adebiyi and Justice Cordova are all developmental players Hooker and Johnson are high on.

Hooker wants to be more competitive this season and believes the Colonels should at least aim for better than .500 record, which was previously achieved in 2020 with a 12-11 record. He had three years of coaching experience at MMA before taking last year off and liked what he saw enough from this MMA team during a jamboree even without its full roster.

“I always want to be about .500,” Hooker said. “If we get to 12-15 wins, that would be pretty great. I’d like to be competitive in the first round of districts as well. This is probably the best MMA team I’ve been around since I’ve been coaching.”