West Texas may be very different from Great Britain or even northern Ohio for that matter.
However, Kacy Parish has been able to adjust to the climate and the rest of his surroundings since making the temporary move to the Permian Basin.
The West Texas FC midfielder is currently enjoying his season with the club as he gets ready for his sophomore season at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio.
“It’s been good,” Parish said. “The season so far has been fine. We’ve had some good results, but also had some disappointments where we were the better team and should’ve won but didn’t.”
Currently, West Texas FC sits at 3-1-2 for the season with 10 points as the team sits in fourth place in the Lone Star Conference standings.
West Texas FC will be back at home for the second time this season when it faces CF10 Houston FC at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Astound Broadband Stadium in Midland.
Parish arrived in Midland at the beginning of May and knew the weather was slightly warmer than back home.
“The heat was a bit different,” Parish said. “It’s much hotter here, but I have been able to adapt pretty quick. I’ve come out to do extra sessions so that my body can adapt to the conditions quicker since these conditions are tough to play in.”
While he hasn’t found the back of the net so far this season for West Texas FC, Parish has played a crucial role in the midfield.
“I came out here as a player to improve tactically and technically,” Parish said. “There have been a few things I’ve had to work on like my recovery off the ball and winning the ball back more. My strengths have been in the technical area like my range of passing and control of the game tempo.”
As a freshman, he scored one goal last year for Lake Erie during the fall.
He’ll be looking to get more playing time this upcoming season at the collegiate level.
After talking to West Texas FC coach David Ormiston, Parish made his decision to come play at the NPSL level this summer in the Permian Basin.
“After speaking to coach David and listening to his philosophy and what he expects from his players, it really appealed to me,” Parish said.
As far as being away from his family, Parish has been able to avoid being homesick.
“I feel like I’ve been able to handle being away from home pretty well because I’m always an outgoing person and adventurous,” Parish said. “I always want to go to some place new. I also stay in contact with home, especially on my days off. I’ll call them and they’ll ask me about how training is going and little things like that. That helps me get through the day.”
West Texas FC is coming off a 4-2 victory over the Fort Worth Vaqueros this past Saturday on the road.
The team will be looking to continue its winning ways in this week’s home game.
“We’re excited to play out here in front of a good crowd,” Parish said. “It’ll be another great home game. Houston is a good team but with the way we’ve been playing, I think we’ll be fine.”
