The white and black ball rolls around on the grass during both morning and late afternoon practices. The cleats run back and forth tearing up the grass in preparation for many upcoming games. The boys’ and girls’ soccer teams are preparing for the season that has just begun.

“We are preparing by having practices everyday and [making] sure that we work hard and stay focused,” senior Caroline Byrd said. “We are really young this year, so I think we need to work on some things, but we have been doing really good to unify everyone.”

For the fresh starters, learning the ropes will prove to be their biggest challenge throughout the whole season.

“Because we have a lot of new players, it might take longer to get our feet under ourselves,” sophomore Leah Crenshaw said. “Once we do, I think we will have a successful season.”

A successful season encompases their plans to make it to the postseason.

“We hope to make it as far as last year, area champs and move on to sectionals,” junior Hannah Brantley said. “We have a new formation that we are going to use which is more of a defensive formation because a lot of the seniors that left were attackers, and, hopefully, we can make up the loss.”

Even freshmen are feeling the pressure to step up to the challenge of losing important seniors.

“We have to work hard and get used to each other, but I’m completely new to the team,” freshman Mary Miller said. “The season looks a little rough because we are young, but I think we can overcome it.”

While the girls are having to get used to the loss of many seniors and addition of new freshmen, the boys feel strong and are looking towards the postseason.

“We want to go further than last year and get into district and win it,” sophomore Cooper Zverina said. “As a team, we are working together a lot better.”

Coordinating as a team is what they are doing while also planning for their upcoming games and the rest of the season.

“I think we will have a bright season and the ultimate goal is to get to State,” junior Mantas Urniezius said. “I think we do a phenomenal job together as a team, and we have been working hard.”