Plainfield East High School Boys Varsity Soccer started their season with the new year, and they kicked it off with their Coach Jacob Lysik, senior captains Yandel Reyes and Nick Emrick leading the way for great games with many victories. 

In soccer, one gets to grow closer to their peers as they form a team while playing a sport they all can enjoy. With this being the case, Emrick had his own reason for joining. 

“I played soccer ever since I had grown up. That was the first sport I had been introduced to.  Everyone plays rec soccer as it seems like, but especially this year knowing that we had a new coach it was a new way to start and something fresh with new ideas,” Emrick said. 

As for Reyes, knowing many of the players on the team and their skill levels played a big part as to why he wanted to join. 

As Emrick had said, they have a new coach, and one thing Coach Lysik looks forward to is building a good program. 

“This is my first year, so build a foundation within the program that is competitive every year within the conference and the sectional, and building good young men in the classroom,” said Lysik. “In terms of sport, I look at building holistic characters so people are good on the field, in the classroom, in the community. So when they leave our program, they’re successful in society.”

Both Reyes and Emrick mention Romeoville and Naperville North as difficult schools to go against, but the team pushed forward in their games while enjoying themselves at the same time. With each game, they get more and more motivated, and one thing that all of them have strived for is a regional title. 

For anyone looking to join soccer in the future, the three of them gave some advice. 

“It’s definitely a process and it’s not going to be easy at times. Coming from a player who’s had that experience of just not feeling like you’re valued enough, just keep working hard because I can say that from my whole life playing that coach Lysik is a coach that understands and knows the game well,” said Reyes.

Along with this advice, Lysik and Emrick say to stay confident and be genuine to who you are. Give it all that you have and live in the moment.