After the Whistle: Mardela’s Cohen Lutz

SALISBURY, Md. – Different athletes can find different sources of motivation, and for Mardela boy’s soccer player Cohen Lutz, there’s no stronger motivation than finding a way to win.

“I just want happiness with soccer,” he said.

What is happiness for Lutz? The answer is simple: “Winning is a major thing. When I’m winning, I feel like it’s like the funnest thing ever. Obviously, nobody likes to lose.”

Now heading into his senior season, Lutz felt like 2024 was a building block year for the Warriors soccer program, saying, “It was the best year. Obviously we didn’t go far in the playoffs, but as a team it was the best…I mean, this year I’m so excited to play.” Among a number of reasons, Lutz cited the fact that he’ll have the chance to play with his brother

On the pitch, Lutz said his greatest strength as a CAM/CDM is getting the ball up the field and initiating a counter-attack. Now he’s focused on perfecting his finishing as the last piece of his game. “Once you get in that 18, it’s panic. Everybody panics. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten to learn like, just calm down and just focus on putting the ball in the back of the net,” Lutz explained.

Playing year-round with his travel team and grinding in the weight room, Lutz is more motivated than ever after a 2024 season that saw him finish as an All-Bayside South Honorable Mention. “I feel like now this year, especially me putting in all this work, I want to succeed more and more than last year,” he said.

Lutz knows that winning isn’t everything. It sure would make him happy though.

“I just want to dominate this year in soccer. I just want to win. I want to get that regional plaque.”