Even though the Parkway North varsity soccer team won only one game last year, the majority of the team came back for another season this year.
“I love soccer and the team,” sophomore Nelson Pinzon Sanabria said. “I came back to do what I love and what I enjoy.“
One reason for this is the close relationship the players have formed.
“The amount of laughter we share makes the team very dynamic,” sophomore James Strautmann said. “Varsity is very different because of the competition, and intensity it requires.“
They also added several new players including freshmen and two former JV players, James Strautmann and Brady Thien.
”What makes the season stand out is because I got on varsity this year which I’m very proud of,” Strautmann said.
Last year, the team had a record of four wins, 14 losses, and one tie. This year, the team improved their record with seven wins and 18 losses. The team has shown significant improvement in teamwork, strategy and individual skill.
“James is a really good teammate, very consistent on coming to practice and knows how to listen to advice,“ said sophomore Pinzon Sanabria, who was on the team last year.
This isn’t the first time Sanabria has played with Strautmann, so welcoming him to the team was easy.
“My chemistry with him is pretty good because me and him used to play on the same team.
We both played pretty well finding openings and combinations to score,” Sanabria said.
Getting to the varsity level isn’t easy and Strautmann and Thien worked hard to improve their game and join the team.
“I was not on varsity last year, and I trained a lot to be on varsity,” Strautmann said. “I thought it would be fun and it keeps me active.”
These players have been working on their skills throughout the off season to gain a spot on the varsity team.
“I improved on my goalkeeping a lot and my other skills which I worked hard on to earn a spot on Parkway North varsity soccer team,” Thien said.
The team looks to finish the season strong and encourage the players to return next year to build on their connections.
The last game occurred on Nov. 2 in the District 3 tournament where they lost 1-9 against Principia.
