This spring, the girls’ and boys’ Green soccer teams had an unforgettable season both on and off of the field. Whether they were scoring goals, discussing new strategies, or making memories with friends, the Middle School soccer players demonstrated hard work, resilience, and excellent teamwork.

The boys’ Green Team did especially well, ending their season undefeated and with a victory against Buford at championships. The team was either tied or in the lead for five-hundred and ninety out of the six-hundred total minutes they spent on the field, with every player contributing to the goals scored during games. Head coach Zachary Wroblewski describes their season as “the best season that we’ve had in a long time,” and says that he is personally proud of the hard work and resilience they showed. 

The reason for the team’s outstanding performance? The strong bonds between the players and their individual passions for soccer. Wroblewski explains,“whether it was [the] players starting, or [the] players on the bench, anyone could come into the game and do really, really well.” 

Furthermore, 8th grader Miles Wright—who played left wing and was one of the Green Team captains—and 7th grader Aadiv Bhardwaj—who played right wing and was one of the only seventh graders on the team—both say that one of their favorite experiences during the season was getting to play and practice with friends. Wroblewski also noticed how close the players were becoming as their season progressed. “The times that we spent together before games, everyone got along really well. And it was a really positive environment,” he says.

The closeness between players also became a factor of success for the girls’ Green Team, helping them to end their season with a victory at semifinals. Head coach Stephanie Lodge says, “Not only are all the girls so talented, but they are so tenacious, and they all work so hard together very well.” Many of the girls on the team played in clubs outside of school, so they were able to utilize each of their individual skills all together as a team.

8th grader Emily Deriso—who played left wing and attacking midfield—agrees, saying that her favorite part of the season was getting to make new friends and that she enjoyed their many pre-game traditions. 

The girls’ first game of the season was particularly successful. The girls had only had one practice all together before the game, so their 7-0 victory against Holy Innocence showed just how talented the players are and how well the rest of their season was set to go. Eventually, the team made it to finals, where they ended their season with a close loss.

With all of the wins this year, the future looks bright for Westminster’s soccer teams. Both Lodge and Wroblewski predict that many 8th grade players will try out for the Upper School soccer teams next year and continue to play throughout high school. They also agree that most of the 7th graders, who were previously on the boys’ or girls’ White Teams, will try out for the Green Teams next spring and bring about yet another year of success for Westminster.