POULSBO — Chris May doesn’t coach high school sports for the money. In fact, he’s not sure how many coaches in the North Kitsap School District actually do.

“I just love working with high school kids,” May said. “They really enjoy it and the whole school spirit thing is great.”

May began his first season as the North Kitsap High School girls soccer head coach on Monday. He is also head coach of North’s boys soccer team.

Though it is his first time as a girls head soccer coach at North, he worked closely with the previous coach, Dee Taylor. May and Taylor worked to make the soccer teams more efficient in how they operate by sharing equipment. May said the teams’ identities are now shared as well.

It’s too early for May to know what the team will need to work on skillwise. Fitness, however, is critical.

May said many of his varsity athletes play for club teams, but those teams don’t focus very much on training. Fitness training is necessary, he said, but for high school students, training is difficult with all the other extracurricular activities they participate in.

“Right now, they’re in that tired stage,” May said of his team on Wednesday. “I think by the middle of next week they will be over that hump and their fitness will kick in.”

May admits he is at a slight disadvantage, because this is his first season coaching the team. Not knowing how the other teams in the Olympic League function could be a hinderance. He still expects the team to be a top competitor, especially if the seniors on the varsity team show leadership both on and off the field.

North Kitsap travels to Silverdale Stadium to face Central Kitsap Sept. 6. Game starts at 6:45 p.m.

Rebuilding year for KHS girls soccer

KINGSTON — Nine seniors from the Kingston High School girls soccer team graduated in the 2010-11 year. It will be up to a younger group to keep the team’s win/loss ratio healthy.

The team has a total of five seniors. However, returning players such as sophomores Jen Reitan, Kelly Nash and Rebecca Tafte — who all lettered their freshman years — and the juniors moving up to varsity should keep the team competitive.

Four seniors who played soccer together growing up will be a key aspect of the team. Varsity players Sara Nash, Liz Lawrence, Kristi Mellum and Brook Tschida are the “clique” of the KHS girls soccer team, head coach Craig Smith said.

Smith said he expects to see the team in “full form” by mid-season at the latest. The methods in which the team will advance down the field will be done more traditionally as well.

During the 2010-11 season, a few modifications to the team’s formation had more players in an offensive state. Smith said he expects to keep a more even balance of defending and offensive players on the field.

The team may stay competitive, but Smith knows the competition, such as Klahowya, will make it a difficult season.

Kingston travels to King’s High School Sept. 8. Game starts at 6:30 p.m.