For the first time in district history, both the girls and boys soccer teams have made it to State and are planning on going all the way to bring home a double victory. However, working to achieve this historical opportunity is only possible with a great amount of adrenaline and determination.
“My family [and] I are very excited because I’ve been playing soccer for so long,” attacking midfielder Sydney Hill said. “To be on this team is an honor.”
Similarly, many of the boys soccer players have played since a very young age, hence their passion for the sport.
“I love watching soccer [and] I support different teams,” center defensive midfielder Noah Bosso said. “It’s something really important to me [and] whenever you’re a big fan of something, it can kind of control your life and your happiness at times.”
Watching professional soccer teams is not the only reason for the teams’ passion; parents, coaches and even teammates can prove to be powerful influences and encourage the players to go above and beyond.
“My mom [is one of my inspirations because] she played soccer in high school and was always my coach growing up, so I followed in her footsteps,” Hill said. “[The boys have] been to State for the past [three] years so they’re definitely an inspiration for the girls team.”
All the whilst taking inspiration from the boys soccer team, the girls soccer players have also developed their own strategies.
”Our main thing is that we always have to be talking- a quiet team is never a good one,” left back Olivia Wade said. “ Everyone’s always talking on the field [so we] stay connected.”
Just because both teams are serious on the field doesn’t mean that they don’t shy away from having fun. Their practice shenanigans may seem pointless, but they actually help the players bond with each other and become more comfortable playing together on the field.
“We obviously have some jokers on the team like Rocco Rascon, and we do joke around a lot, but we definitely have locked in our goals,” Bosso said. “Our team is just like a family: we stick together, [and] we’re all brothers.”
Even though it goes without saying, the soccer teams’ dedication to their sport is what has earned them their chance at reaching the State Championship. Both teams have been able to perfect their skill sets through much dedication and sacrifice; early mornings, sleepless nights and sluggish afternoons have all contributed to their achievement.
“I just try to focus on doing the small things right,” girls’ right back Townsen Wagoner said.” If I’m doing the small things right, big things are gonna come with that.”
Whether it’s the jokers loosening the stress of a game, or the small things that players do to accomplish their goals, neither soccer teams would have been able to win so many games if it weren’t for their energy.
“The biggest thing I hope to bring is energy,” boys’ left back Diego Flamenco said. “[There’s} definitely some motivation [to win State] back-to-back since we’d be the first team to ever do that.’
Not only do the soccer players need the energy to perform at their best, but it’s also important for them to maintain positivity during training and matches.
“[We] try to keep a positive mindset, be optimistic [and never] let the team get down,” Wade said. “[We make sure not to] say the other team scores or just give up.”
On top of all that, this being the boys soccer’s third consecutive year going to state boosts their confidence in winning it again this season.
“We know if we play our game and sit on top of things, there’s really no one that can beat us,” midfielder Sean Rivera said.
For players on both teams, winning State is not only a recent dream but one they have held in their hearts for many years.
“This is everything that you think about your freshman, sophomore [and] junior year,” a player said. “And [just the fact] that we’ve made it [this far] feels like a dream come true. Now we’ve just got to try to win these last two games and win state to bring it home.”
Having both soccer teams go to State is not only an accomplishment in itself but also creates a sense of pride and camaraderie among the players from both teams.
“It’s really exciting to see the girls over there with us—it gives us another goal to achieve while we’re there,” Bosso said. “They should be really proud of themselves, they worked hard all year.”
