The Annandale High School Boys Soccer team had a great regular season. They sat well about .500 and sent a message to the rest of the district. Senior Sebastian Pinzon-Zapata pins this success to their strong chemistry, “Chemistry has been really important for us because communication is a big part of soccer, and that was a big part of our success.” This chemistry has come from playing with each other almost every day for two to four years. “We will need to help the underclassmen develop more chemistry. Whether they like it or not, they’ll be playing with each other for the rest of their high school years.” said Pinzon-Zapata.
Senior Brendan Nguyen also points the success to great relationships, “As a team, our greatest strength was the faith we had in each other, both in our abilities and in our goal of success.” Such close relationships within the team can help with on-field performance. “Before every game, we would all come together, including our coaches, to pray as a team. This moment of unity helped us build trust and confidence in one another. We believed that each player would do their part to put the team in the best position to win, and that belief in each other kept us motivated to win and be connected throughout the season.
Even with all of the success that they’ve had this season, there were still things they could have done better, “At some points during the season, the intensity dropped. Sometimes we did not maintain a high level of our game which had led us to losses or ‘close calls’ in games that we should’ve won by a long shot,” Nguyen said, “This can originate from players’ mindset or from practices leading up to games. Sometimes we let the level of intensity drop during training and start to perform lazily.” A subpar practice can lead to a subpar game.
After a long and strong season, the players, whether new or experienced, have all learned some new things, “I think we learned how to persevere through challenges we had on the field and in the team which helped build up better team chemistry.”
Chemistry is one of the most important parts of playing team soccer. ‘Chemistry’ in soccer is not only the relationships between players, but also their ability to work together. Good chemistry can lead to great teamwork, and a deep understanding of each other’s style of play, which both significantly improve a team’s performance. Players who feel comfortable and connected with their teammates are much more likely to communicate effectively on the field, which generally leads to better coordination and gameplay.
Soccer, especially high school soccer, is a very beautiful game to watch and play. There are many physical and mental aspects to the game which make it so challenging. The fast pace of the game requires players to be constantly moving and strategizing. High school soccer also gives players the chance to experience the highs and lows of sports. Winning a tough game brings a sense of accomplishment and boosts confidence, while losing can teach players to be more humble and resilient. Soccer at any level requires a deal of commitment and discipline. All of these traits were shown by the Atoms in this successful season.
“Reflecting on the season, I feel like I developed my soccer skills and IQ with the help of my coaches and teammates, and it was an unforgettable experience.” said sophomore Ahmed Elhag. “The season was very physically and mentally demanding, but I also had a lot of fun,” Elhag said, “my favorite moment from the season was my first varsity game, I was pretty nervous but it was so cool to see such a big crowd watching me do what I love.” Soccer at the varsity level gives everybody a chance to shine in front of the whole school. Every player dreams of taking up on this opportunity.
Although previous years set the bar for success high, this year’s team might be able to reach or even surpass the success achieved in previous years. Although the team is mostly made up of seniors, they have a strong and talented group of underclassmen who have at least two more years here at AHS. One of the Atom’s up and coming defensive players is sophomore Tamim Yassin. “I learned a lot this season, and I hope to be a big part of a championship-winning team. As a defender, I can never take my foot off the gas, I always have to be at least one step ahead of whoever has the ball.” Yassin said. One of the Atom’s strengths is their defense, another great defender being senior and captain Tyson Perkins. “I believe in all the young guys, and I think they’ll be just fine without us. They’re all hard workers so they’ll do what they need to do and hopefully survive without senior leadership.
After a long season with many ups and downs, the regular season has finally come to an end. The Atoms ended the season with a total record of 7-3-1, and 5-1-1 in district. Annandale tied for second place in the district standings, tied with the Falls Church Jaguars, sitting just below the Lewis Lancers. The Atom’s are happy with their season, but never satisfied, they’ll go for the first place spot year after year.
