UPrep varsity boys soccer team played their first game on Saturday, March 15, against Wahluke at Overlake, winning 4-0. However, before that, on the morning of Saturday, March 8, head coach Nate Whitney and assistant coach Nicole Harris tasked their players with creating goals for the season on a pyramid drawn on a whiteboard. 

The main goal was winning the state title.

“When I was a freshman on the varsity team, we did really good. We lost in the state final, but the last two years, we haven’t done as good as we could have,” varsity center defensive midfielder Kaiden Lo-Birdsall said.

Coach Whitney has tried to improve the soccer team by demanding the best from his players.

“Everyone is very locked in on the games and practices, and we are taking everything more seriously, so hopefully we make it to state,” Lo-Birdsall said.

The community dynamic and strong unity of the team, according to Lo-Birdsall, benefit soccer at UPrep.

“I like soccer at UPrep because you get to play with all of your friends that you have known for so long, and it is more based on community because you know the coaches,” Lo-Birdsall said.

Ninth grader Zinedine Smith plays center midfield on the varsity team.

“We have a lot of passionate seniors, so this is their last year to win state. If anyone at the school should show up to the games, you should show up for them,” Smith said.

Head coach Whitney has been involved with the upper school varsity program for 12 years. 

“We have a lot of seniors on our team, and those boys we targeted when they were in sixth grade when they entered the middle school program, we highlighted them and said when they are seniors, let’s see what we can do so they’re seniors now, so we’re exited to see what they can do,” Whitney said.