On and off the field, the 2022-23 boys soccer team is “intense” according to head coach Mike Armstrong. The Rolla High School soccer teams’ academic award recognition highlights last seasons’ high GPAs. 

Coach Armstrong pushes his players to work hard in the classroom. 

“We talk a lot about how, if you get less than a 3.5 GPA, your choice of schools for soccer drops from 1000s of schools to only 200. That is something that we emphasize. And then on the other side, we check their grades every single week. No matter what, if somebody has an F, the whole team is running, and it’s not as a punishment. It’s just a gentle reminder that you have to keep your grades up and it seems to be working,” said Armstrong.

Senior and team captain Amari Terrell supports Armstrong. 

“He is definitely on top of us about our grades. He knows that we could push ourselves harder than what we do in class, and he knows that academics can take us a long way,” said Terrell.

Expectations are at an all-time high which means the team is trying to push farther than their former goals. Each teammate has a different target, but for Terrell, he plans to shoot far.
  “I think we can win districts and after districts we’ll be in the Final Four,” Terrell said.

Coach Armstrong backs up Terrell, while highlighting the baseline requirements he expects of his team.

“Of course they have to be good in the classroom first because academics is going to take them further than their sports will. They have to be good people. They have to like the game. And so far, we’re doing good in all those areas,” said Armstrong. 

It’s not only about winning districts or having good grades, but this season is also about being a team, or as senior goalkeeper and captain Ben Fisher describes, a “family”. 

“I feel like we’re closer as a team. We’ve all been playing together for years now,” said Fisher. 

With five times the number of seniors compared to last year’s two, there is notable leadership and a strong sense of control. Captain and senior Caden Martens believes the team is united.

“We’ve actually come together and are able to work together to really show and create a unity between everyone,” said Martens

In addition to unifying the team, the upperclassmen use their knowledge and experience to guide the underclassmen and ensure that they have a smooth transition into varsity. 

“Even though all ten of the seniors aren’t captains, we still have people that can hold the younger grades accountable and teach them since they’ve been through the program for the last four years,” said Terrell. 

The seniors have been role models to the younger varsity players like freshman Roman Stanislawski.

“There’s a lot of really good players on the varsity team, so I’m proud to get to play with them.” stated Stanlislawski.

These past four years have also provided a team chant, passed down from alumni and former RHS soccer player, Lane Mabe, to current senior Chance Duncan. 

“So it originated for me my freshman year. We had team bonding and someone thought it was a great idea to get a chant to hype the team up. And so, that was, of course, my most successful season so far. And those were the big guys in my life. They led us, so I wanted to carry on that tradition,” stated Duncan.

Before starting every game, the varsity boys huddle up and Duncan leads the team in the ritual. This allows everyone to build up their energy and serve as a reminder that they’re playing as a unit on the field.

“We hit the field like, all day like, all night like, offense like, defense like,” cheers Duncan.