By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
For the first time since the 2016 season, the Bolivar Lady Liberators will have a new leader patrolling the sidelines this spring.
Jason Ingold takes the reins of the highly successful soccer program led by coach Steve Fast and assistant Jeff Edge the previous nine seasons, and Ingold acknowledges the task in front of him and his staff.
“They have laid such a solid foundation and really had quality success with the Bolivar Lady Liberator soccer program,” said Ingold, who enters his first season at Bolivar as the girls’ head coach after leading the boys’ squad last fall. He has previous experience at Camdenton alongside J.D. Hunter, assisted Fast in the early 2000s and later led the Lakers Soccer program for nine years. “While those are huge shoes to fill, our coaching staff is excited for this transition as we look to take the program to the next level.”
Over his nine seasons, Fast guided the Lady Liberators to a 144-43-0 record, which included five straight district titles from 2016-2021. In his final season (2024), the Lady Liberators finished 16-5 overall and 7-2 in the Ozark Conference. The program has not had a losing season in its history, aside from a 10-10 (.500) campaign in 2012.
Ingold will be joined by a couple of assistants who also have ties to Bolivar Soccer.
Zach Waters played soccer at Southwest Baptist University and previously served as an assistant at Bolivar. Rachael Ingold played high school soccer at Camdenton and then at SBU. She also has been an assistant for the Bolivar High School girls’ team, in addition to coaching at Camdenton.
Ingold said he has been impressed with the commitment and work in the offseason by both a large senior class as well as the underclassmen. And after graduating seven seniors in 2024, the current Lady Liberators will be expected to compete in practice for playing time on game day.
“We are super excited for this spring season and are looking forward to seeing the girls grow each and every practice,” Ingold said. “There will be a learning curve with an all-new coaching staff, but these ladies are hungry, fun and hard-working. In the end, we aim to care for one another, work hard each day, and see the results on the field.
“This soccer team will bring excitement and energy each time they take the field and should definitely be fun to watch. We are really looking forward to working with these young ladies as they are a great group who work hard and enjoy the game of soccer, as well as each other.”
Not only are the Lady Liberators welcoming a new coach, they also will be competing in a new conference. Bolivar has joined the Ozark Mountain Conference, which includes several former members of the Central Ozark Conference, of which Bolivar was once a member.
“We are also excited to rebrand the soccer program as we move into the new Ozark Mountain Conference,” Ingold said. “While it was very beneficial for us to be a part of the Ozark Conference for the past few years, we’re excited for the opportunity to compete in the new Ozark Mountain Conference. It’s important to us as we develop the schedule to ensure that we keep our traditional rivalries. But developing some new traditions and rivalries are things we’re looking forward to.”
Bolivar graduated a large class from last season, including defender Sahara Adams (Class 2 All-Region 3, Class 2 District 5 first team, All-Ozark Conference first team, playing at Ouachita Baptist University), forward Claire Giglio (Class 2 District 5 first team, All-Ozark Conference second team, playing at Drury University), midfielder Mady Niven (Class 2 District 5 second team, All-Ozark Conference honorable mention), defender Ese Jones (Class 2 All-State honorable mention, Class 2 All-Region 3, Class 2 District 5 first team, All-Ozark Conference first team), midfielder Ellie Thomas, forward Bella Mayfield, and midfielder Allasandra Chalco.
“We will miss all of the leadership that last year’s seniors provided,” Ingold said. “While a few of them are currently on college rosters, all of them have left a lasting impact on the program. Many of them were four-year starters, so there will be a learning curve for some of our current players.
“Our team has a challenge that others don’t – we have an all-new coaching staff – but we welcome that challenge. With things being brand new and wide open, there’s a good amount of learning from one another to do. This requires commitment, effort and a standard that can’t be compromised.”
Bolivar will participate in a jamboree at Lebanon with Marshfield at 6 p.m., March 14, before opening the regular season at home against Waynesville on March 25.
“The vision for the Lady Liberator Soccer program is summed up in three words: character, commitment and community,” Ingold said. “We will strive to have integrity and represent Bolivar well. We’ll also be committed to the team over self.
“We plan to focus on developing a culture and footprint within Bolivar through investing in the youth and community. Our team will hold high standards of both character and effort. We expect that players put the team ahead of themselves, are prepared to compete and get better every day, and are ready to do the extra work in order to achieve our goals.”
