Academy honors soccer

Mike Cast

POLSON - A banquet was held last Thursday to commemorate the season for the Mission Valley Christian Academy soccer teams and thank the coaches for a great season.

The boys team showed great improvement toward the end of the season under head coach Russ Lockhart and the girls had a championship season under head coach Michael Hewston. The party was catered, the school's students, staff and some parents were in attendance and everyone was in a mood for celebration.

Players put in their two cents about their coaches and the coaches spoke about their players.

Lockhart said that even the other coaches were impressed with the team's performance in the state tournament.

"Other coaches came and told me that we would have done even better if we would have had more healthy guys. I'm proud of everybody on the team," he said.

His team lost players throughout the season and had to play the final game of the tournament with only one substitute player on the sidelines.

Hewston said he was proud of his team for sticking around the whole season.

The season started out curiously, according to Hewston. He and the girls alike wondered what they were getting into. It turned out to be a winning season.

Hewston said he thought it was odd that so many of his girls and their parents thanked him after it was all over.

"You know because all I do is stand on the sidelines and yell," he said.

He said the team showed perseverance that he couldn't have predicted and that his aggressive coaching seemed to work for the girls as well.

"But none of you guys did quit," Hewston said.

Addressing the coach and the crowd that day, seventh grader Alicia Sicz said the unthinkable.

"Thank you for making us run," she said.

The team had come off a series of losing seasons, and would have began the season thinking about the past if it wasn't for Hewston's advice.

"I hope that I have impressed upon you not to worry about last year, not to worry who you're playing. You just play your game," Hewston said. "You guys really did step up. Your play was awesome."

The team then followed him in chant, remembering the motto he taught them and where it took them.

"Take a ball, take a friend, go to goal," they sang.

Principal Marcia Kitson acknowledged the coaches for a volunteer effort that put the soccer program back on line.

She said she told Hewston he was an answer to prayer. He said he had been called a lot of things but never that. She also recognized Lockhart.

"You stepped in and you didn't have to. I'd like to say the checks are coming but you did this voluntarily," Kitson said.

"I didn't have to?" joked Lockhart.

After the speeches the coaches were presented with team sweatshirts and a cake. It was a good end to a season that exceeded expectations.