Soccer is one of the most popularly played sports worldwide, supported by billions of fans. The goal of the sport is to kick the ball into the goal. Anderson High School contributes to this support and popularity with their very own girls soccer team. 

The AHS girls soccer team began playing for the 2024-2025 season on August 21, 2024. They’ve won two of their games so far this season. They plan to achieve better than their last season stats, and they’ve most definitely done so thus far. 

Although to some soccer is just a sport, it represents a deeper meaning to players and coaches. 

“To me it’s enjoyment, it’s excitement. It’s called the beautiful game for a reason because it’s beautiful and it’s played the way it’s meant to be played,” said coach Jacob Boggs.

For students it can be a way for them to express themselves differently.

“It’s very stress relieving for me, I can do it and not have to worry about school or anything else,” said Adriana Quiroz. 

The game can uniquely serve as a way to follow the footsteps of someone a person looks up to. 

“My sister has been playing for her entire life. She’s always been very good at soccer. In her senior year, I was a freshman and she begged me to come and play and I ended up loving it,” stated Quiroz. 

 Just as Quiroz’s sister influenced her love of the game, Coach Boggs hopes to achieve the same with his team. 

“The biggest thing that got me into coaching was my love for the game. I just wanted to make sure that kids here had a perspective.” Boggs expressed. 

Although it often goes unsaid, sports teach someone so much about who they are.

“I didn’t understand how much it (soccer) would transform how I view life. I’m trying to help, be more personal with players in a professional manner.”  Boggs said. 

Though for some, the game can affect them differently, such as completely changing a person’s view on the importance of teamwork. 

“Soccer has taught me that you need to treat everyone like fairly and like family. When you’re on a team, you realize that just because you guys might not get along off the field, on the field you still have to get along. They’re your family and you stand up for them no matter what.” Quiroz mentioned. 

Soccer is often met with fierce and enthralling attention, it represents the source of profound principles for players and coaches. Though unfortunately, the game proposes a stigma by some viewers when women play the game. 

Although some might disagree, women’s soccer actually doesn’t differ much from men’s soccer. The goal is the same, the players train the same way, and even the stats are measured in the same fashion. Though the fanbase popularity and media coverage might be the only differences between the two versions of the sport. This very thing has led to a common misogynistic stigma to stick to the phrase ‘women’s soccer’. This stigma is often used as a way to attack the physical capabilities of a woman playing soccer.  

“Even in high school, we have to face kids around the school talking about how the boys soccer team is so good, but it just makes you want to push yourself to make it known that girls soccer is important too,” Quiroz said. “Especially looking into social media, only the boys soccer is ever seen, but girls soccer needs to be represented and hopefully, one day, we can get the representation we need.” Quiroz stated. 

Though it can be difficult, Coach Boggs tries to inspire this exact ideal with his team. 

“I try to get my girls to go play with the guys, though I understand it’s difficult being accepted and I tell them ‘don’t see yourself as less than’. I try to get the girls to understand that I’m not going to have different expectations, I’m not going to lower the bar just because you’re ladies because it’s an injustice. Hold yourself to high standards. I don’t expect you to play soft or play weak. But otherwise, it’s the same game, you play the same ball, at the same time, you play with the same rules.” Boggs mentioned.

Although they’re met with slight injustices, our lady tribe soccer team meets great confidence to accomplish their best this season. 

“I believe that we’re going to have more wins than ever. In the past ten years, we’ve never won more than two games.” expressed Quiroz. 

The staff and students at AHS are most definitely proud and prideful to have our girls soccer team represent our school out on the field. We can’t wait to see what great things they have in store for this season. Go Indians!