After finishing last season with a strong 11-8-1 record (10-6 division record), along with a round of 16 playoff appearance as a top-20 ranked team (19) in the state, the Medway Mustangs are heading into 2026 with re-found expectations but the same mentality.

Led by Head Coach Ryan Elster, this team never forgets who they are and what they stand for.

"Every season, we have five words we develop to define our team culture and what we stand for," said Elster, now entering his fourth year as head coach of Medway High School Girls Soccer. "These are talked about and sometimes voted upon to make sure we have a defining culture that everyone stands for and believes in."

This simple but powerful process has helped push the program in a clear direction since Elster arrived. The Mustangs have improved their regular season record in each year since Elster's arrival, with their rankings within the state improving dramatically. It's the kind of steady progress Elster is determined to build on.

"We hope to continue to build off the success we developed last year and take the next steps to become a premier team," Elster said.

Looking at the linear improvement the program has achieved, Elster was quick to credit the people around him for the program's growth, from his assistants to his captains.

"Delegation is crucial to success," he said. "I have a fantastic assistant coach, JV coach and volunteer assistant who do so much work for myself and the team. I also believe in delegation to my captains and players on my team. Having players that help elevate my message and what we want to do as a team helps foster the environment and culture we want."

Much of Elster's coaching identity traces back to his father, who coached him through both club and high school soccer. "A lot of the foundation of my coaching mentality comes from my dad," Elster said. "He has been my biggest supporter and mentor over the years."

That influence shapes how he approaches his own staff and players. "Openness and self-reflection are two keys for myself as a coach. Teams and players constantly change so it is important to always be open."

Elster's leadership carries real weight with his captains. "Captains play a crucial role on any team," he said. "They are the players who are looked up to on the team and do a lot of work even outside of what we do on the field every day that goes unnoticed. They are the pulse of the team and assist me in understanding how people are feeling and doing."

Heading into the season, Elster's ambitions are clear. "We would like to challenge for the TVL small title while also making sure we make the postseason tournament," he said.

Whether or not the Mustangs get there, Elster said what he wants most is for the lessons to outlast the scoreboard. "I want my players to remember me as a coach that always wanted what is best for them and enjoyed playing for me," he said. "I want them to take away everything we talk about in regards to culture, mindset, work ethic. I want those things to stick with them no matter what path they go on after they leave me."

Soccer has shaped nearly every part of Elster's life. "Soccer has been a huge part of my life since the day I was born," he said. "I have played since I was able to walk." He grew up in Sutton, played club soccer for the Fuller Hamlets, then went on to play in college at Springfield College. His coaching career started with a small club team, Fortis FC, before he spent two years as an assistant at Worcester State. He's now in his fourth year at Medway and coaches full time for NEFC.

This passion and love for the sport, which has been injected into Elster's veins ever since he was a kid, has rubbed off onto the Medway Girls' Soccer program in the best of ways.

The players are bought in and the improvement speaks for itself, making 2026 potentially the best season yet under Elster.