After graduating over 10 seniors from the varsity team last season, Northwood’s boys soccer team is hard at work rebuilding their team culture and attitude in addition to training for their regular season games.
Although the team admits that their team spirit hasn’t been the greatest in the past, they’re willing to improve and work towards fixing it to grow together as a team, and secure some more victories this year. Along with traditional scrimmages and conditioning drills, the team has begun to implement attitude checks to help the student athletes build confidence in one another and help each other grow.
Every day, we’re coming to practice putting in 100% effort, coming in with a positive growth mindset and leading by example.
— JV center junior Michael Mullen-Mena
The process has been slow and occasionally difficult, but it’s one that the team believes is necessary to grow together both on and off the field.
“If they’re getting closer to one another, then I feel they’re going to have better chemistry and that’ll translate into more success on the field,” frosh-soph head coach Arya Esfahani said.
Varsity head coach Harry Lee believes that attitude is key to the success of the team. While he doesn’t expect perfection, Lee always pushes his students to remain positive while on the field. After all, just one person with a negative attitude can impact the team and cost them a victory.
The athletes’ end goal is to keep each other accountable and encourage one another to push themselves in spite of any personal or athletic challenges. The team’s encouragement has helped everyone stay focused and develop a growth mindset, which in turn allows them to continue learning and bettering themselves through continued practice and discipline.
The best part about these changes? This strategy is working: more players are coming to practice on time and are more motivated to work hard and improve.
“In the past, the soccer team hasn’t exactly been the most successful but I see that there are players who want to work hard and really succeed this season,” JV center junior Michael Mullen-Mena said. “Every day, we’re coming to practice putting in 100% effort, coming in with a positive growth mindset and leading by example.”
The strategy has worked well, as pre-season match records have been strong so far. Out of their six games, frosh/soph has won four and tied their recent match against Dana Hills. JV won three out of their six games, and varsity currently stands with a 3-2-1 record.
The victories are satisfying, but the team is still going to work hard in order to do the best they can in league play after break, while also remaining humble and remembering that they play not only for the wins, but for each other.
“I just want the boys to be excited, have fun and understand that it’s a privilege to be able to play,” Lee said. “Hopefully through all of this, they learn what it means to play as a team to keep each other accountable.”
To see the team in action, stop by the turf today where they will be playing against Santa Margarita High School.
