The Malden boys soccer team sending the ball upfield to the strikers. Photo by Ana Kerr.
The boys soccer team is starting out the season strong with a current record of 5-1-1. The players are in agreement that being a part of the team has been great experience throughout the years that they have participated in soccer.
The boys on the soccer team have different inspirations for joining the team as well as different perspectives concerning soccer. Senior Nicholas Santos explained that his father and grandfather were his inspirations for playing the sport. Santos explained that “[his] family always grew up loving soccer. [He remembers his] grandfather taking [him] down the street to the field to go kick the ball back and forth for hours.”
Senior Bruno Da Silva is passionate about soccer, mentioning that “[his] favorite thing about soccer is the fact that [he] can have fun doing something [he is] in love with while being competitive at the same time.” Da Silva added that “[he forgets] all about [his] problems once [he steps] onto the field.”
In addition, Senior Guilherme Silva has played on the team for the past three years. Some of his best memories have been with his teammates. Silva commented that his all-time favorite memory was when “Malden played against Saint John’s Prep. [The team was] heartbroken because [they] had lost the game, but that did not stop [them] from celebrating. [Senior captain] Mateo [Ruperti] had told everyone to go to his house to have one last team event. This day will stay with [Silva] forever because even though [they] had lost, it was a fond memory because [they] had an amazing time with each other, like [they] were with family.” Silva added, “[The group] is
more than just a soccer team, [they] are a family and spending time together meant more than the games [they] won or lost.”
The players consider each other brothers, not merely teammates. Ruperti expressed that “[he loves] having the responsibility of leading his ‘brothers’ because the boys are able to trust [him].” Having the responsibility and trust of his teammate drives him to “try [his] best to be a good example for them.”
The boys soccer team has one of the closest bonds out of all the teams at MHS. When one joins, he does not just learn new skills, techniques, but he also gains a family. All around, the team is excited to begin another exhilarating year of soccer at MHS. MHS wishes the boys all the best for the rest of the fall season.
