Varsity soccer has gained a large fan group in this past year. Mainly because, all of the boys on the team care so much about their school and their sport, they’ve encouraged through Twitter and Facebook to have everyone support them. So far their record this season is 4-4-2 and still have 2 more games left.
The team is led by team captains Trevor Ajini ‘17, Christian Sipley ‘17, Nick Burke ‘17, and Thomas Jeju ‘17. Talha Malik ‘17 he explained this season’s coaching arrangement, “We have 3 coaches. Our main coach Joe Pysh, Assistant coach Jeff Sherry, and JV/Assistant Coach Josh Milligan. All of the coaches played at Tower and even won a district championship. They have all been playing soccer for 10+ years and know exactly what they are doing and how to improve the team. They practice with us and sometimes go on runs with us as well. They improve specific skills on different players so we improve as a team. They are hard on all of us but I wouldn’t respect them if they weren’t. In short, they have a passion for what they are doing and I like and respect all my coaches for making me a better player.”
All sports have a team rival. Soccers rival is Lakeshore. So what do they do everyday to make sure they can beat Lakeshore? “Practices are a combination of conditioning and developing soccer skills. They are from 4 – 7, although we leave early on days we have team dinner. The conditioning can include 3 mile runs, timed 2 mile, or just running laps in between drills. The second part is mainly getting touches on the ball and practicing our possession and passing skills. We also work on finishing and controlling the ball (making sure we keep it). For the most part practices are fun and really help the team get better as a whole,” Malik discussed with me.
Although Malik is optimistic about the season, the team does face some challenges. “Our biggest challenge as a team has been being able to overcome mental issues. In the beginning of the season the team had a tendency to play at the level of the other team, we would play well against tough opponents but at the same time poor against inferior teams. We overcame this by playing Tower soccer, this means playing at the top of our game no matter the opponents.”
Playing Tower soccer involves a lot of teamwork. Which is something this team does not lack. “I have learned that talking is the most important part of teamwork. Communication as a team is the key to winning games. Simple things like telling players that an opponent is behind them “Man on!” or that they have time to control the ball and make a decision “Time!”. The second thing i’ve learned about teamwork is that no one player makes a team. Good leadership and cumulative effort are what makes a good team,” Malik shares when asked what he has personally learned about teamwork.
“The reason I believe we will win districts is because we are no doubt the best team in the district. This is because we have a very talented team of players that all have great chemistry in and off the field. We communicate with each other and further every play as a team. I also think we will win districts because we want that trophy more than any other team. This may seem subjective but I believe it to be true. Me and some of the guys even have the previous district championship (along time ago) set as our wallpapers, to look at everyday and be reminded of our goal,” Malik talks about districts, which is coming up fast.
Being a student athlete is one of the most stressful things we as students have to deal with. Many people have a hard time juggling school and sports. “It is extremely difficult to balance practices, games, and homework. Taking on harder classes and playing a sport can be draining. However, with effective time management and a positive outlook can help tremendously. Keeping grades up and getting sleep is hard but not impossible,” Malik on his personal struggles with school and sports.
One last thing Talha Malik would like to share, is his words of wisdom to underclassmen. “I would like to tell future or younger athletes three things.
- School comes first – We are athletes but at the same time we are students. The education we get from school will help us throughout our life. The sport we play might be the one thing you look the most forward too but to look at the bigger picture your grades will always be more important.
- Ask yourself “what is it that I want to accomplish with this sport?” This answer becomes your goal. whatever your goal is think about how you can achieve it and than do it.
- Make memories – this might be the most important. Just enjoy your experience, season’s end quick and graduation comes sooner than you think. This is why you should have fun all the time while playing whatever it is that you love.
Good luck to the team on the rest of their season, and make sure everyone comes out and supports the boys!
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