When Howard Furman took control of the Coral Springs Charter boys' team four years ago, he had plenty of work to do.

The team was undisciplined, pulling in red cards left and right under a different coach. The players were aloof and uncommitted and went straight from a middle school team to a losing varsity program with no room for slow growth.

``It was pretty much a joke,'' Panthers senior forward Josh Doerr said. ``No one took it serious.''

Things have been slow to change since Furman took over -- the Panthers have not won a district game and scored just two goals in their one-win 2007-08 campaign -- but this is the year Charter is expecting the changes to start paying off.

``We were having trouble finding the right person to lead the program,'' athletic director Jerry Albert said. ``Since [Furman came] in, he cleaned it up.''

Furman is just the sort of professional disciplinarian Charter needed with the soccer pedigree to back it up. He played soccer all his life, eventually becoming the midfielder for Hamilton College in upstate New York before deciding his future was brighter as a lawyer. When he moved to Florida, he kept playing soccer and says he learned more from watching European and South American players.

Add his soccer-rich background to his no-nonsense attitude as a lawyer, and the groundwork for the future was set.

The change in attitude started right away. Furman weeded out players who didn't want to be there, redefined team goals and changed practices from free-for-all chaos to organized sessions.

Furman also reprioritized academics, going so far as to walk into classrooms and sit next to players who needed the reminder about what comes first.

What might be the biggest change for the Panthers is last year's addition of a junior varsity team. With the new JV program, athletes have a place to grow without being thrust directly into more physically challenging competition.

``That is definitely the way to go because you're not rushing the development of a freshman,'' Albert said. ``Eventually that'll lead into varsity and they'll expect to win.''

The program, lacking for numbers before Furman took over, now has 60 boys playing in three levels, drawing from a pool of 400 students.

As with any program rutted in a losing mind-set, the turnaround has taken time. There was the one-win season two years ago, but the Panthers quintupled that mark last season.

``I've seen a big improvement with Coach Furman,'' senior midfielder Santiago Duque said. ``I feel more confident. We have a better team, we have better skill, we have better chemistry.''

Furman and Albert aren't so naíve to book a trip to the state finals or even assume a playoff spot. After all, Charter finds itself in District 13-3A, possibly the toughest district in the county. Pine Crest lost in the state semifinals last season, and they were the runners up in the district. The Panthers also have to deal with North Broward Prep, which won the district last season, and newcomer Plantation American Heritage. The Patriots plawon the 3A state title in 2008 and 2007.

Furman and Albert don't want to measure the 2009 season by wins and losses. Instead, they hope they're preparing their players for a bright future.

``Their total attitude has changed,'' Furman said. ``They have come full circle. These are responsible young men.''

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