Varsity Griffins Soaring to the Playoffs! A Deep Dive into How Impactful Leadership Creates Champions.
Media provided by Abby G. ’26.
Drape the banner!
With an emphatic 7-1 win over Calhoun School on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, our Varsity Soccer boys have sealed the deal on their first league championship in dominating fashion, going 7-0-1.
Ending as the NYCAL postseason runner ups, senior captain Alejandro I. has said that “now is as important as ever to have short term memory and keep our goals in mind. We must hold our heads high as we still have a couple more games to play.”
They went into their first postseason tournament ranked the number 1 seed, and their triumphant success in the regular season has also given the lads a guaranteed bid to the NYSAIS postseason championship tournament. While the undefeated record is an irrefutable testament to the talent and character of the players on the team, what should not be overlooked is the importance and impact of the team’s internal leadership, spearheaded by the senior trio Alejandro I., Jasper D., and Carl E.
Although now well on their winning ways — with the latest win yesterday in the opening round of NYSAIS states — Grace Varsity Soccer has had its ups and downs. What is now being coined as the “Coach Kevin Brown era” is predated by a devastating 2021-2022 season, where the team finished with a 0-4-0 record. Following the team recording not a single win or draw, the introduction of Coach Brown quickly saw rewarding results, with the team ending his first term with a striking record of 11-3-1 in 2022-2023. Coach Brown capped that season off by instilling a newfound sense of pride in the team and program for years to come.
Meaningful stretches during this transition period into having a winning culture should be credited to the leadership of captains Brando B. ‘23 and Freddie O. ‘23, for stepping up and setting the tone for the boys. Owen A. ‘25, who was starting left winger during the tragic winless season, stated, “There was a mentality shift in my sophomore year [2022], where we went from being a joke of a team to being title contenders because our captains took the team seriously and led everyone to fight every game.”
Following the 2022-2023 season –which ultimately ended in heartbreak when the boys closed the season with a NYSAIS quarterfinal loss—the future of the varsity soccer program immediately looked up going into the new year. Including the likes of star transfer Carl, the boys — with a newfound sense of pride and determination –started the 2023-2024 season strong. But after losing key players — Alejandro to a torn meniscus, Carl to a broken hip, and Wesley T. ‘26 (the author) to a broken wrist — the team could not get it done in the end.
A stalwart and steady captain, Thomas S. ‘24, set the example for what it meant to play for the badge. Finn H. ‘25, star player and junior at the time of Thomas’ tenure, reflected on Thomas’ leadership and how “depending on how seriously the captains take the season, it reflects on to the rest of the team, resulting in more wins.”
But to say the 2023-2024 record of 8-4-1 reflected an overwhelming success would be an overstatement. With an accumulation of ups and downs over the past three years, the team was hungry and ready to prove they had what it takes to be champions in their most united form yet, going into the 2024-2025 season.
Starting off strong with a mandatory Berkshire Preseason camp, prepping the boys for two valuable friendlies against two top-tier schools, the spark was lit for a fiery and fruitful campaign.
Tim Quinn, the Director of Athletics, saw from this team a “complete buy-in from the entire roster, regardless of individual roles — a full commitment and understanding of the appropriate work ethic for games and practices.”
That “full commitment” ultimately led to the boys’ first banner.
Keeping together a team of bright and strong players, captains Alejandro, Jasper, and Carl are proud to march into the upcoming NYSAIS playoffs with a chip on their shoulders, knowing their potential second banner is theirs to lose.
This was even more prevalent with their begrudging loss Oct. 23rd to Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School in the NYCAL finals. With the Varsity Soccer Boy’s latest win in the opening round of NYSAIS states — putting Dalton away with three goals — they look ahead to Wednesday, Oct. 30th, for their second round matchup against Horace Mann.
If you can’t make it to the field, be sure to tune into the live stream in your inbox moments before the game starts. GOOD LUCK AND GOOOOO GRACE!
Wesley Tyson‘26, the author, is a staff writer for The Grace Gazette and a member of the Boys Varsity Soccer Team.