By Eric Erickson,
Sports analysis

The fall high school soccer season in Minnesota is relatively short

But the pace of life is fast for the busy student athletes who practice daily and play up to 16 games in the two-month regular season that concludes in the second week of October.

At that point, teams have dreams of making a run in their section tournaments to extend their seasons and make memories. Appreciating the ride with all the highs, lows, challenges and rewards that come with it is something that Como Park’s soccer captains are focusing on doing.

Boys soccer

Co-captains Taw Law Eh Hser and Henry Simmons believe they are part of a capable team that is coming together. Early season victories, and even a couple disappointing losses, have strengthened the team’s resolve to maximize their opportunities.

“This team is really talented,” Simmons said. “We have six or seven players that can create offense and scoring chances, so our offensive depth is really a strength. If we stop fouling in bad spots and clean up mistakes, we’ll give up fewer goals.”

Scoring has not been a problem. Halfway through the season, the Cougars were averaging nearly four goals a game while compiling a record of 6-2.

Beyond the success on the field, the captains shared that team bonding is a special part of Como soccer.

“The coaches find the time for us to have fun times together,” Hser said. “We had an event where we went to Coach Fields’ dad’s lake house. We were swimming, canoeing, eating, playing ping pong. It was fun.”

The varsity team also took its biennial road trip to play Austin in southern Minnesota and camp out at the farmhouse of Elaine Allen and Bryan Kingsriter. It’s a prime example of the community that Como soccer creates with parents of alumni from 2007 still supporting the program.

Simmons notes that the spirit of community rolls through all four teams in the program. Depth is more than a trait of the varsity team—a total of 80 players participate including junior varsity, B-team and C-team.

“Soccer is this one thing that brings so many people together,” he said. “I like the connections that I’ve made throughout the program with guys on all the teams. We practice together in the summer, play futsal in the off-season with anyone who shows up. Como soccer is very welcoming. Anyone who wants to play can be a part of it.”

Girls soccer

Senior co-captains Ava Lopez and Giselle Sanchez-Esparza have grown up together on the Como varsity team. Both began their varsity careers as eighth graders, looking up to the team leaders and learning from them.

Now they’ve come full circle, guiding a group with several young players and passing on the traditions that made them feel like part of a family when they joined it five years ago.

“It really is a community you’re immersed in with your best friends,” Sanchez-Esparza said. “We help each other throughout school, even outside of soccer stuff.”

The relationships among the players have been especially important for the program because Como girls’ soccer has had three different coaches over the last five years. Regardless of who has been at the helm, close-knit teammates have responded positively and sustained a supportive culture.

“All of our coaches have been very different, but staying with the same teammates has made it easier to adjust because we’re all going through the same change,” Lopez said.

Results have been relatively consistent through the coaching changes. The Cougars have finished third in the St. Paul City Conference every year since Lopez and Sanchez-Esparza joined the team, with an overall record hovering around .500.

“We might not be the best team in St. Paul, but we try, and I think that’s what matters,” Lopez said. “As long as everyone’s trying, everyone’s happy no matter what the results are.” “We lift each other up,” Sanchez-Esparza said. “The freshmen and sophomores now have room to grow, like we did. And that’s a good thing for keeping Como soccer connected.”

Eric Erickson is a social studies teacher at Como Park High School and a longtime coach of school and youth sports in St. Paul.

Photo credit: Boys captains Henry Simmons and Ta Law Eh Hser. Girls captains Ava Lopez and Giselle Sanchez-Esparza. Photos by Eric Erickson.