New North boys varsity soccer coach Thomas Prentice (left, top) goes over a few things with his player at the end of a recent practice at the North fields. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Thomas Prentice has gone to a few Nashua High School North-South Battle of the Bridge boys soccer games as a fan and just loved the intense atmosphere watching from the stands.

Now he gets to watch from the sidelines.

He’ll see a new level of intensity, because Prentice began his tenure as the North boys varsity soccer head coach this week with the start of preseason tryouts/practices.

“I’m excited for it,” he said of the Battle of the Bridge. “Everyone has it marked on their schedule. I’ve been to a couple as a fan, and it’s awewsome. It’s crazy the amount of people in the community that show up to that. Even the soccer community itself pulls people outside of Nashua to go watch that game.

“I’m excited to not be a fan this year, but to be a part of it.”

Prentice succeeds former Titan head coach Jeremy Zelanes who stepped down after last season following successful seasons of quarterfinal, semifinal and quarterfinal appearances. Prentice played soccer at the prep school level at New Hampston, then played his college soccer at Saint Anselm, where he graduated in 2024 with a sociology degree. He played club at GPS in Bedford.

And he’s also been an extensive club soccer coach (ODP) and will do some limited work as an assistant at Saint A’s.

But he felt coaching at the high school level as a head man in charge of a program would be valuable experience in his coaching career.

“For (coaching), I felt like it was the next step,” he said. “I get asked why coach high school boys especially. I think it’s a great age for them. There’s still a lot to know but they’re still very competitive.”

Prentice grew up in Merrimack, and watched his friends play high school soccer. In some ways, he wished he had been with them.

This is his chance.

“I feel that high school soccer has a different energy to it than like club soccer,” he said. “I would love to be a part of that energy of high school soccer.”

The irony is his biggest rival helped steer him toward the job – Nashua South coach Tom Bellen. Bellen had coached Prentice at the club level, and as Prentice began his coaching career, he looked at Bellen as a mentor.

“When the job opened up, he texted me and said, ‘Hey, do you have interest in this?'”

And there was Prentice on Monday, going between two practice fields at North because he was flooded with numbers hovering around 70 players.

“Awesome,” Prentice said. “I did not expect that one bit. I expected 40 to 50. The 70 number, when I woke up (on Monday) I was like ‘Holy cow!'”

The high number means Prentice will have to make cuts, which he really didn’t anticipate he’d have to do.

“The energy was good for a first day,” Prentice said. “A little nervous (the kids), but I told them, ‘Hey, this is my first day, too. I’m in your shoes.'”

Coaching has always appealed to Prentice. He grew up playing sports, and looks for guidance whenever he can get it from his coaches.

“I always found it intriguing to (coach),” he said, “and I love the game of soccer. So it’s a way for me to stay involved in soccer and keep going.”

Prentice has played for a lot of quality coaches that he’ll take things from in developing his style.

“It’ll be a mix and match from previous coaches,” he said with a grin. “I told (the players) I’m still evolving as well. I’m still learning. It’s a process.

“For me, they need to realize it’s a buy-in, being a part of a team, what that means. Right now we have a lot of great individual players, and a really good talent level, which is great to have. But for me, to be a top team or surprise a few people out there, you have to be team-first.”

Especially in the North-South game, right?