With the conclusions of high school fall sports approaching , there is an ever-increasing excitement about the joy and exhilaration that the winter sports will surely bring. In the last couple of weeks, the world’s most universally played sport, soccer, has been revived at Gables for the 2018-2019 season. The school tryouts, having recently been held, displayed a tremendous amount of young talent for the Coral Gables Cavaliers Boys and Girls Soccer teams, respectively. The array of talent dispersed across both teams has been a source of hope for the future, as these young athletes seek to develop and perfect their craft throughout the season. Below is a brief preview of the goals, expectations, and routines of the two Gables soccer teams as they prepare for their first games of the year.

Boys Soccer

For the Boys Soccer team, despite a great season overall, many of the returning players argue that their season’s performance as a whole came short of their overall expectation for the year. Throughout the regular season, their talents were definitely put on display and in great fashion, as the team had a winning record and was even able to punch their ticket to a districts championship game. However, despite their valiant efforts, they were unable to advance past districts and were also not able to qualify for the Greater Miami Athletic Conference (GMAC).

“We came short on a couple of our major goals. After not qualifying for GMAC, we really pushed it at districts, but we sadly lost and couldn’t advance,” junior Jason Wood said.

With the season at dawn for the 2018-2019 school year, the Boys Soccer team looks to bounce back from their previous shortcomings, aiming to take districts by storm, win at GMAC, and, ideally, qualify for a state championship. The team tryouts have introduced a few new faces to the roster, but the team culture and work ethic remains a constant. Once rosters were finalized, the team immediately took to the field and began their vigorous practice schedule. Usually consisting of warm-ups and a variety of coordination and footwork drills, the Boys Soccer team has much to look forward to as they eye success in the upcoming season.

Girls Soccer

The Girls Soccer team as a whole has had some rough, unexpected, and unpreventable conflicts in the past few seasons which have inevitably resulted in less success for the team. Coming off a year where they nearly made it to states, the Girls Soccer team had an upsetting season last year, especially considering the abundance of talented seniors they had on their roster. In an elimination game against Lourdes High School, they were unable to advance beyond districts and fell short of many of their hopes and expectations for the season.

“We really thought we’d be able to do well, but we took everything for granted and lost a very important game,” junior Juliana Bonavita said.

With a roster suffering the loss of twelve seniors, a great burden will be placed on the incoming freshmen and sophomores who will aim to gain a consistent starting spot on the varsity team. For this reason, little is expected of the team, as the season will serve mainly as a learning experience and a chance for development for the new faces and returners from last year.

Although the short-term results may not be of much significance, the eventual long-term product will surely be one of sustainability and success for the Girls Soccer team.

As both teams enter the preseason, there is much to be excited for on either side. Be sure to wish the two Gables soccer teams luck as they embark on their new seasons!