by Cassidy Kelley
The universal sport of soccer is probably the most popular sport in the whole world. Its influence is so great that it is played in every single country on every single continent. Soccer is the national sport of nations; but it is also played by MHS’s very own boys on the Varsity soccer team.
Jack Polson has been coaching soccer for the last ten years, but only four of those have been at MHS. He has an “E” level coaching license, and as a former player he has a great passion for the game.
“A couple of the goals for the team this season are to win conference and sectionals,” Polson said. “We feel that the team is ready to meet those challenges.”
Captain of the team, senior Chris Thomas hopes to achieve these goals with his teammates.
“Soccer is a team sport,” Thomas said. “There are no superstars. You’ve got to work hard and suck it up.”
Thomas plays right center back and has been involved with soccer since he was in the sixth grade, and he’s been playing for the school since he was a freshman.
Junior Austin Wagner has been playing soccer for the school since his seventh grade year at PHMS, but in all he has participated in the game for nearly eleven years. Wagner plays mid-field for Varsity and hopes to make it to sectionals.
“I love the quick pace and complexity of the game,” Wagner said. “You never know what is going to happen.”
The team has been working hard and pushing each other to achieve great things this year. Polson enjoys watching their student athletes rise to big challenges.
“It is an honor to watch a group of boys develop into a team and become a part of something bigger,” Polson said.
Sophomore and mid-fielder David Lawson has played soccer for nearly ten years. Two of those years have been spent at MHS. He hopes to improve as a player and to help others improve as well for his season. Trying his hardest and practicing until he gets it right is his own motto.
“I love winning a close game,” Lawson said. “The suspense really gets to you.”
"Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I'm very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that."
Bill Shankly,
English soccer manager
