Senior Night proves a success for Carson Soccer

If you have been following this page for the last few years, you are certainly aware of my reporting of Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer. In covering the crown, I have noticed that soccer is one of the sports from a grass roots perspective that gets lost in the mix from the typical Americanized sports like football, basketball and baseball here in Rowan County. This season I have interviewed a few of the high school soccer coaches around the county and on Monday night at Carson High School I attended a match for two teams that are led by coaches I interviewed this season. In this blog post I wanted to share withy ou the experiences of the match as well as conversations with both coaches before and after the match. 

I spoke with East Rowan Men's Soccer Coach Nermin Hodzic before that match and here is what he had to say about his team. 

Carson who is trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2015 was hosting the match and here is what Coach Lauren West had to say about her club heading into the match. 

To this point the time for talking had finished and it was time to get down to business on the pitch. I encourage you to watch the highlights below as well as the crowd interactions that are captured in the video. If you have been interested in playing and or going to watch these matches. It is my hope this may encourage you to head out and see some of the local soccer action around the county. 

After the match was over, I wanted to touch base with both coaches about how their clubs performed and final thoughts. First Coach Hodzic of East Rowan followed by Coach. West of Carson. 

As I mentioned it was senior night at Carson High, so I wanted to ask Coach West about the limited number of seniors she has on the club and here is what she had to say about these student athletes. 

If you take some time to come and check out one of these great matches at local schools around the county, you just may find that you enjoy soccer. Especially at the grass roots level where you just may be watching one of the stars of tomorrow play and learn their craft. These two coaches clearly think of their players as if they were their own children. I watched both coach their squads and you could see the tough love form each coach when it was needed and nurturing when that was needed as well. There is no doubt these two squads would run through a brick wall for their coach and for the love of the game. So go check it out. You just may find out that it's not the old cliche of a bunch of guys and gals running up and down a field with no action and little to no scoring. You will likely find out that it has a fun atmosphere, lots of action even if the scoring is low and some very talented young men and women. 

In closing thank you to both Coach West and Coach Hodzic for their hospitality and access to both clubs during this matchup of two young squads playing the high school version of the beautiful game!