KINGSTON — With a new coach comes new aims for the Kingston Clippers in the League1 Ontario, the best competitive amateur soccer loop in the province.

Christian Hoefler is the new man in charge, tackling the position in the fluid manner in which he fluently speaks English, French and German.

“What we are trying to build here is a better community sport and a high level within Kingston. That’s the goal,” said Hoefler, who came to Kingston last fall when he was hired as the head coach with the Queen’s Gaels men’s soccer team.

Hoefler’s background includes eight years of coaching at the Ottawa Fury Academy. Prior to that he was the head coach of St. Anthony’s Italia in the Ottawa Premier League.

He also played for Canada’s under-17 program in 1997 and Canadian college soccer for Algonquin. Including a national title year.

Hoefler said that once he took over the Queen’s coaching position and got into discussions with his Gaels players and Chris Eveleigh, technical director for the Kingston Clippers, he was all in for coaching the League1 side.

“Definitely something I wanted to be part of. It is going to be a challenging league and I think that is best for us,” Hoefler said.

The Clippers, after a dead-last finish in the new League1 Ontario last season, began the new year with a 1-0 loss to ANB Futbol in King City last week.

“It was a big wakeup call for our players that this league is definitely quality,” Hoefler said.

The Clippers will face Master’s Football Academy Saints of Toronto in their home opener Saturday.

Game time at Miklas-McCarney West Campus field is 1 o’clock.

Hoefler, who estimates close to 60% of the 30-player roster is made up of players he had at Queen’s, is looking for his team to play an exciting brand of soccer.

“We are an attack-minded team. We were all right in our first game. It wasn’t terrible,” said Hoefler about the 1-0 defeat.

“Things will change. I’m very optimistic. We still have 21 games left. Going forward I think we will stick to what we are planning and training for.”

Under League1 roster rules the Clippers have to have eight players under age 23 on their roster for each game. Four have to be on the field during play all the time.

There is no upper-age restriction and, in fact, the Clippers have affiliated with the Greater Kingston Senior Soccer Association to allow for the use of their players.

The folding of Kingston FC has allowed players from that team to remain in Kingston. Austin White, a centre back, Ryan McCurdy, a centre back, and veteran right back Odaine Demar are in that group.

Young talent emerging from the Kingston minor soccer leagues includes Andrew Whiteman and Ryan Almeida.

The Clippers will play three home games in May and two in June.

After Saturday’s game at west campus, the Clippers will play games at Tindall Field.

Unlike the pro Kingston FC games, there is no admission for the League1 games.

“Nobody is playing for money. It’s for the love of the game and the love of Kingston,” Eveleigh said. “We want to get the community out and people loving soccer.”

Hoefler said his team wants to put on a show for the community’s soccer fans.

“We want to show the community that there is a high level of soccer available,” Hoefler said.

“Inspire younger players to play soccer or at least be active. That’s our mission.”