The emotional rollercoaster that was the 2021-2022 season of the James Logan boys soccer team has officially come to an end. Adrenaline was prevalent at every game; the players hurriedly trying to score goals on the field had it surging through them, as did the onlookers.
Unfortunately, the team did not experience as many victories as they had predicted, but the players’ love for the sport and each other is still alive. Lifelong bonds have been formed, can be attested.
Julian Valle, a junior on the varsity team, has plenty of insight of the hardships endured this season. The three hours of practice every day, regardless of the grueling California weather, caused many to feel physically and mentally drained. But the collective goal never shifted.
“…the grit, the bonds we all have, and how badly we want to win; that’s what really helps us out the most,” Valle said. “We were all so focused on these games.”
However, the beginning of the season proved to be more disappointing than anything else.
“We started off rough, but towards the middle of the season, we got better. We built better bonds. Those losses at the beginning of the season helped us out. It made us see what we needed to work on” Senior and varsity player, Paul Padilla said.
And they did work on it. After the tough start, they later went into an undefeated streak of 10 before losing to De La Salle in the first round of NCS. Although that wasn’t ideal for any of the players it was a good season with great highlights.
Just like every year, there are seniors leaving and there will be a new group of freshmen next year. Next year the boys plan on being better than they were this year. With every game and practice, they’re getting better and better and we’ll see that next season for sure. In Julian’s words, “Look out for us.”
