Chisholm Trail’s varsity boys’ soccer team made history this year when they advanced to round three of the playoffs, something that had never been done before. Even though they ultimately were defeated in their third game in a round of penalty kicks, captains Roman Hernandez, a senior, and Jacob Enriquez, a junior, made a lot of memories with the team, which both players described as being a second family to them. 

“We’re a family,” Enriquez said. “That’s a pretty big thing, since we spend so much time together.” 

Early on in the season, however, Coach Rogers described the boys’ success to be a bit lower than he might have anticipated. With some close games in the preseason tournaments, going into districts meant the team might have a tougher time against their district opponents. 

“We just really struggled with finishing games that were close – I think we lost a total of eight games this year by one goal. But in the second half of our district season, the seniors really came together and took a huge step forward and started to really see a path forward through the playoffs and actually being successful, so those last few district games, we played really well,” Rogers said. “That last district game to clinch a playoff spot against Granbury was huge. I think they finally started playing with some confidence, so that was a stepping stone into some future success.” 

Chisholm may have been a bit of an underdog going into the season, so there was both pressure to do well and also a mindset that many teams would underestimate their capabilities. 

“I wanted to prove something to the other teams in the district, that Chisholm Trail isn’t a bad soccer program,” Enriquez said. ““I felt like we were the underdogs the whole season. We just wanted to win every game.” 

But first, the mindset of winning and proving their belonging with the top teams in the district had to come from within the team itself. 

Rogers said, “I think the seniors really made a cognitive effort, Roman Hernandez in particular and a few others, to display to the team that we belong there, we are fully capable of that kind of success.” 

Hernandez, meanwhile, described his confidence in the team at the beginning of the season. 

“The mentality was pretty high, knowing we had a strong team. We all had good chemistry, so it was all just about finding a way to actually push through games and actually win games,” he said. 

Many of the players have been playing together for a long time, which clearly contributed to the team’s success. 

“I think it was their belief in each other that ended up making us so successful,” Rogers said. “I think they all have been playing soccer together for a long time, I think they all knew that they were good on the surface. I don’t know if it was until the middle of the season that they really started to believe in each other, in themselves, and in the process, and what they could achieve. I think the camaraderie of playing for each other really helped turn the season around.” 

Both Hernandez and Enriquez commented on how crucial communication between themselves, and their teammates became as they got farther into the season, and how beneficial it became to their gameplay – especially as captains, they often help set the bar for the group. 

“Making sure everybody is talking to each other is super important, everyone takes criticism different, everyone has a different playing style, so just knowing how everyone takes criticism and how they play can help find our way to make them play better,” Hernandez said. 

Enriquez added, “Being a good, effective captain starts with just communicating with the whole team, not leaving anybody left out, and making everyone feel welcome. I wanted to make sure I was close with everyone.” 

Rogers also worked to build relationships with his players this season, making sure that every kid was welcome and brought into the family the boys have created within the program. 

“I try to build relationships. I try to meet kids where they’re at. I try to get kids to see the best in themselves, because a lot of times, all they’re seeing is the negativity, and some kids don’t have that positive reinforcement at home,” Rogers said. “I’m big on relationship-building, trying to show kids that I have their best interests at heart, because if they know you care, they’ll do just about anything for you.” 

Once the boys knew that playoffs were in sight, the intensity of their play only increased. The confidence levels in their skills and abilities showed in every performance on the field. Even though they were not projected to go very far, the team went from seventh to fourth to the third round, while the number one team in the district, Aledo, lost in the first round. 

According to Enriquez, the game plan was simple.  

“Our first priority was to score first and keep the pressure up high,” Enriquez said. “We wanted to be more on the attacking side, we didn’t want to play as much defense, because if we get scored on then it brings down the mentality a little bit.” 

Rogers had a similar mindset of keeping the attacking players free on the outside to do their jobs and ensure that they were ready to create plays that would lead to goal-scoring opportunities. 

“The strategy was to put pressure on the other team,” Rogers said. “We had some really strong players on the wing, and we wanted to exploit those guys and get the ball to them outside, put the pressure on their outside defenders, one on one. We wanted to stay organized defensively when the ball was in the air and try and move the ball quickly through the midfield. Get the ball to our playmakers on the outside so that they have their chance to work their magic one on one.” 

The team’s strength, determination, and passion were clear in every matchup. They fought for their families, their friends, their faiths, and they fought for themselves, according to Rogers. 

“One of the words on one of our training shirts says Represent,” Rogers explained. “And we talk about that a lot and talk about who you represent and what you represent. You’re not just representing yourself, you’re representing your faith, your family, your school, your classmates. I want me and my team to be something that my family is proud of, that they’re proud of, that the school’s proud of.” 

“We knew we had each other and our families because that’s who has been supporting us since the beginning,” Hernandez echoed. 

If the senior has taken anything away from this experience, it’s the power of determination and believing in yourself and your team. 

“Anything is doable, and even though people might say you can’t do it, you definitely can,” Hernandez said. 

The family dynamic will ultimately stay with Enriquez throughout the next season, as he believes it’s what makes the team so special to be working with. With the season over and Rogers looking ahead to the incoming freshmen who are eager to be a part of the history-making squad, Enriquez had some crucial advice for younger players. 

“Don’t come in with an ego, because it just messes things up more. If we work as a team, you know, it’ll be better – that’s what we did this year, everyone didn’t have an ego, everyone was close to each other and a family again, so I feel like if we keep that up, we can continue on the legacy of going to playoffs,” Enriquez advised. 

Hernandez had this to say: “Work on your craft. Build a good team. As long as you do your part, you’ll be alright.” 

Rogers ultimately wants these players to take away an increased sense of self-confidence and belief in their capabilities, so that they can continue their winning streak into the next season.  

“They are capable of achieving difficult things,” Rogers said. “If they work hard, if they rely on each other as their teammates, and have some self-confidence, they’re able to do something that’s never been done before.” 

With offseason now in store for the players, Rogers is looking forward to seeing new talent mixing with his returning players next year, ready to see what the player pool will look like coming from the middle schools. With 17 seniors graduating in a few months, there is a lot of empty space for kids with no previous varsity experience to step in and help the team be successful next season, to continue on this new legacy of playoff success. 

“The foundation has been laid, and that team last year achieved some historical successes, but we had 17 seniors graduate,” Rogers said. “A huge chunk of that team is gone, so now the expectation is that we’re gonna be back in the playoffs. It’s going to take a lot more this time around. We have a lot of young guys coming up who haven’t seen a lot of varsity time, and so from now through the summer through August and September of next year, it’s going to be tougher. We’re going to ratch up the intensity and the expectations for everybody.”