“What’s not to like?”

The reasons for Coupeville High School girls soccer coach Troy Cowan’s optimistic comment about the upcoming season are plenty.

First, he noted, that the move to the Olympic League will allow his team to play against schools more its size.

Second, the Wolves lost only two players to graduation.

Next, Coupeville returns seven seniors, and most are multi-year letter winners.

And, finally, Cowan welcomes an “extremely talented and gifted freshman class.”

The team’s strengths, Cowan said, are its “experience, leadership,” “a junior with dynamite in her right foot” and “three freshmen with several years of select soccer.”

The senior leadership comes from letter winners Marisa Etzell, Jacquelyn Ginnings, Mickayla LeVine, Ana Luvera, Ivy Luvera, Julia Myers and Erin Rosenkranz.

The explosive junior is Jennifer Spark, and the three freshmen are Mia Littlejohn, Sage Renninger and McKenzie Myers.

Another key newcomer, according to Cowan, is senior Christine Fields, a three-time state qualifier in golf.

Depth could be a problem, Cowan said, as well as the unknown element of the new conference.

The goals for 2014, according to Cowan, are to “make an immediate and profound impact in the new league, (sending) a message of arrival, play hard and give 100 percent, never quit, no concussions or major injuries, show good sportsmanship and conduct ourselves as ambassadors from Coupeville High School.”

Cowan said he is “excited” about the move to the Olympic League and playing against “similar-sized schools and being evaluated from these performances.”

“I attended a recent conference with the other school soccer coaches and I was very impressed,” he added. “A tremendous collection of highly respected and experienced coaches.”

The biggest challenge from the Olympic League should come from Klahowya, a state qualifier the last five years, and “ourselves — we can’t control our competition, but we can control how we play.”

The season begins with a nonleague game against island foe South Whidbey at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at Mickey Clark Field.