The Curtis varsity soccer team is off to a flying start this season. They have qualified for playoffs for the first time in two years. This is largely thanks to the team chemistry that flows through the players. Many of the players have been playing soccer together since they were 8 or 9 years old.

Seven of the players, one junior, five sophomores and one freshman all played for the Silver Lake Soccer Academy. Junior Zachary Sadiki and goalie Kacper Lesniak have been together since about fourth grade and still play together on the under 17 Brooklyn Italians team. Danny Angulo, Edgar Trugilo, and Alexis Moran are playing for Cedar Stars under 16. David Garvin and Akram Drissi Almani used to play with the other boys up until high school, but now play on other teams.

The team’s goalie, Lesniak, is one of these players. “Playing together since a young age has really helped us play better together, as a unit.”

Navarro recalls a time when the entire team traveled down to Virginia for a tournament and stayed at a hotel. “It was such a great bonding experience, I remember playing manhunt all over the hotel with Danny, Zack, Edgar, David, and Akram. And to imagine now we’re all playing high school ball together. The history we share makes the team tighter and better.”

“Playing with my teammates for a long time has affected the team’s performance this year in many positive ways. We know each other’s playing styles and we can play very well together. It has also motivated me to play better with my teammates,” said sophomore Angulo.

Coach Tombo notices the chemistry too. “When a group of players have played club soccer together from an early age they all know each other’s strength and weaknesses as well as each other’s moves on the field. It is the coach’s job to assimilate these small groups with the entire team. This type of situation can give a team a solid core of players who are usually well coached and know the value of teamwork.”