The solidarity of East Boys Soccer remains unimpaired with the start of the new season and has contributed to the team’s early on success.

“I like seeing kids develop and starting to hone in their skills, especially with soccer, kids often play club[soccer], so they come from different backgrounds, so seeing them develop their skills and start to work together as a unit is really satisfying as a coach,” Coach Lisa Simon said.

On Tuesday, the 30th of August, the boys soccer team faced off against Minooka at Plainfield East for a conference game and prevailed with a score of 4-1.

“We’re very young into the season, but I would say the Minooka game was probably our best game yet,” Coach Simon said. “I know when we played Minooka, the second half of the Minooka game, I think we were all happy with what we saw, because we kind of saw the team coming together, as well, connecting passes, and developing plays with one another.”

In addition to the Minooka victory, the boys soccer team took third place in the recent Bradley-Bourbonnais Tournament.

Coach Simon said, “it was a very tough match that we had with Bolingbrook, and I think talking with adults that have kids at Bolingbrook High School, both teams felt like that was kind of the championship game, even though it was not the title of that game. I think that was…taking third, we , you know, we weren’t satisfied with that, but we were happy that we were involved in that tournament and then progressing far, and then again our kids starting off our conference games with a win.”

The East Boys Soccer team were the conference champions of 2021, and the bar is set high this year again, posing a challenge for the team with 15 of the seniors having graduated.

Based on the effort and determination that the team has displayed so far this year, it is feasible that they will attain several wins in future matches and competitions.

Coach Simon said,“I think they’ll do very well, I think they’re going to continue to grow with one another, I believe we will get another conference and I think the regional title is within our reach, so I think we should be able to get that as well.”

Freshman Charlie Hidalgo said, “I have to have a lot of communication with the coaches and I have to train everyday,” which are two additional challenges that have emerged for him.

However, while these challenges exist, soccer has been an effective way for the team, especially the freshmen, to meet new people and form bonds with them.“I’ve made a lot of new friends in older grades and have been able to talk to more people,” freshman Ismael Marquez said.

The boys soccer team is eager and motivated to play for the remainder of the season and this feeling is reciprocated by the coaches.

“I’m excited to work with the boys this season,” Coach Simon said. “I think they’re showing a lot of promise, and I think they’re going to surprise a lot of people.”