It has been a road to get to the conference championship for Austen's high school soccer team but it was everything I knew they could do. I say that because this summer, Austen and I talked about how this team may be less skilled and talented than the previous two Varsity teams but I knew these players, particularly the Seniors, and knew that they had a good shot at winning conference, especially if they had some help from some good juniors too.
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Conference Champs! |
These Seniors had grit and chemistry. After a rocky 1-6-1 start (which rests solely on the coaching), these boys turn it around and go 5-1 in conference play to win the West Suburban Silver Conference Championship outright. Our conference is challenging. Not impossible but we have some very good teams in it. One of these games, we go into overtime and the rest are pretty close. But we squeak it out with a 1-0 win over Downers Grove North last week and the boys, these boys, are so happy that together they did this. They played for each other and in the face of a very difficult beginning, they persevered and came up with the trophy. I told Austen, everything from here on out is just gravy. They accomplished what they set out to do this year.
They enter playoffs on Wednesday and will take on Jones College Prep in their first game and if they win, they will play for the Regional Championship on Saturday afternoon. Wins would be nice but I'm so happy for these boys to get that conference trophy, especially since no Varsity team has won it outright in the four years that Austen has been there. Congrats to them!
We also got to celebrate Austen's four years in the program with Senior Day. Tom and I were announced with Austen for one of his last game's on Dickinson Field. Here's what they said:
Welcome to Hinsdale Central's Bank Stadium where today we honor and celebrate our 13 Seniors who have all played in the Hinsdale Central Boys Soccer Program over the last four years. These boys have come of age together as friends and teammates from their freshman year, Saturday morning practices with donuts, compliments of Coach Begley, to winning the Hinsdale Central Freshman Shoot Out which included them having to be escorted off of Centennial Field after they beat a stunned Elgin team looking for a fight.
The memories these boys have made together over the last four years will be forever etched in their minds long after this season is over and they leave Hinsdale Central. But today, we honor them as current players and have asked them to share a few thoughts and memories about playing soccer for Hinsdale Central...
#18 Austen's favorite moment of his high school soccer career would be making his penalty kick sophomore year in the regional final game shoot out vs. Whitney Young to advance to sectionals. A funny memory he has about a coach is one that I'm sure all our Seniors here today will remember - on bus rides to games freshman year they would play music and Coach Ferraro would tell them to turn that terrible music off!
Austen's freshman coaches (now retired) were in the stands supporting the now Seniors that they coached four years ago. It was great to see them and know that they were still following their players after all these years. In fact, most of the boys' memories or favorite moments involved their freshman year and that's when you know that that chemistry and the ability to play hard for each other was formed four years ago. That's what our current coach didn't know about them and couldn't see - at least in the beginning - I'm sure by now he realizes his mistake.
I couldn't be more proud of these Seniors. I've enjoyed watching them play throughout their four years and will miss being in the stands and watching them play next fall. What I won't miss is all the volunteer hours that I put into the program. I am looking forward to having my late summer/fall back next year if Peyton doesn't rope me into volunteering more for cheer!
At any rate, congratulations to our Seniors and to Austen! What a ride it has been watching him play over the course of his four years. He's left us with unforgettable memories and friendships too.
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Senior Day! |
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Proud Parents |
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The Seniors!
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The Senior Captains
| Some of the Seniors at their Senior Dinner |
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