Patriot High School’s soccer team becomes part of the community–on and off the field

For two weeks during the month of May, Patriot High School soccer players collected food for Grab Your Groceries.

David Stokes, head coach of the varsity team, assisted by Brian Foley, started with a young team. Since the school had no senior class for the 2011-12 school year, they had a few juniors with three-quarters of the team being freshman and sophomores. Since the players were coming from various backgrounds, they needed to build a sense of camaraderie both on and off the field.

In doing so, the team completed several service projects in addition to their daily practices and game schedule. They sold mulch to help with a fundraiser for the Booster Club and staffed a station at neighboring T. Clay Woods Elementary School’s Wellness Fair.

Their most recent project, however, required the players to personally fill boxes full of ten meals that would help feed local families. The boxes were donated to Grab Your Groceries, an outreach ministry that works with schools, churches and other service organizations to assist underserved families in Northern Virginia.

Stokes says that he worked with Michelle Wilson, school social worker at Patriot, who has helped with similar projects in the school. He says that doing such projects improves the quality of soccer both on and off the field. Completing and succeeding in outside projects helps with team building.

Nick Schlegel, a junior from Bristow, is captain of the team, and spoke to his teammates about the project. The boxes had to be filled with meals such as pasta and sauce. Schlegel explains that it is important to realize that we are a very “blessed group of people,” suggesting that our community overall is fortunate. For him, it is important that we remember what we have and do not take things for granted.

Schlegel requested donations from neighbors and local grocery stores. Many of his teammates did the same as well as taking collections from their home pantries. The team also put collection boxes out during their games and allowed those giving donations to receive a free drink from the concession stand.

There are 40 players on the varsity and junior varsity teams, Foley says, that overall they collected 820 meals that were eventually distributed to 80 families. The coaches were impressed with the level of commitment the players displayed during the project and the season that went beyond what they were doing on the field.

The students gathered on May 14 to organize the donations and the boxes in the school’s common area. Varsity players include Nick Ashley, Matt Kim, Jose Mendoza, Reda Iberkak, Brandon Orozco, Zack Ballard,  Nick Mayhugh, Jordan Brown, Peter Brown, Tony Vargas, Godfred Baisel,  Sean Pritchard, Josue Saravia, Chris Lafayelle,  Tariq Goland-Tomlinson, Erick Flores, Ben Risko, Jameson Corcoran, Majin Acosta and Chris Harley.

Junior Varsity players are Nick Schrage, Josue Godoy, Sahir Jovel, Alex Gellios, Payton Lawler, Clay Tasler, Travis Covington, John Pal Orozco, Tyler Brooks, Chris Molina, Tyler Estrada, Cody Franscione,  Ishamael Iberkak, Mark Cummins, David Poole, Chase Snow, Quinn Reiley and Ashton Macewen.

Stokes and Foley agree that working together for a common goal helped to bring the players together. Many of the players have become good friends and that has helped the team develop great bonds.

Although the team’s record indicates a young developing team, Schlegel says that many opposing coaches said the team will be “dangerous” as it matures in the next few years because they could see the potential and the talent the players have.

Stokes says that he is proud of the boys and that they have become a part of the community. With a new school and a new team, he feels it is important for the boys to be a presence in the community where they play so that they support the community that supports them academically and athletically.

For more information on Grab Your Groceries, see http://www.passion 4community.org/groceries.  For more information on the Patriot High School soccer team, see the link on the school page at http://www.patriotpioneers.org