As the fall sports season came to a close, Liberty High School’s girls soccer and boys football’s C-teams’ records stood out: close-to-perfect seasons.
The teams embodied common attributes that gave them an edge. Players, coaches, and spectators alike were amazed by the great effort of both teams, powered by their strong team dynamics and leadership.
“Our season ended 14-1-1, we won KingCo because we had more experienced players including old sophomores and new freshmen that had played with clubs previously,” sophomore Anna Padilha said.
Padilha played offense for girls soccer’s c- team. When asked why the c-team did so well this year she commented on Liberty changing divisions, and how it played into their success.
“Changing divisions holds us to a higher standard, it makes us try harder and we really pushed ourselves this year,” Padilha said.
Sophomore Taylor Crumpacker is another offensive player on the c-team with Padilha. Crumpacker talked about the exceptional leadership on C-team.
“Last year the c-team didn’t have their own coach, this year we have great leadership from Coach Camille (Haacke) and captains, which really helped us win,” Crumpacker said.
Across the board when interviewing c-teams from both girls soccer and football, it was made evident that a hard working team always incorporates camaraderie and togetherness.
“Our team got along really well. Everyone understood that soccer isn’t an individual sport; it’s a group sport,” Crumpacker said.
Football C-team player Cameron Haynes also spoke about the importance of connectivity in order for a team to work well together.
“The outstanding reason we did so well this year was because of our word, “United”. Our team really valued trusting each other and we actually became one team with one common goal, because we worked so well together,” Haynes said.
Every year, seniors on football gather and find a word that they plaster on sweatshirts to impart their goal for the season to fans and parents. “United” definitely supports the concept of community that is repetitive in successful teams this year, and c-team football took it to heart.
Varsity and JV football were also impressed by C-team’s season this year, as expressed by sophomores Tyson Burley and Michael Peterson.
“C-team definitely had time to work together over the summer, whereas Varsity and JV didn’t have as much, which probably helped a lot to make them undefeated this season.” Peterson said.
“They had good leaders who really knew what they wanted the outcome to be for the season,” Burley said.
Liberty’s C-teams have displayed growth and victory from commonalities like teamwork and leadership that have guided them as a unit, not units.
