Angle

Issue date: 9/14/07 Section: Sports

Soccer Team [Click to enlarge]

Building team chemistry for any team is essential, when that team is preparing for an upcoming season.

This past summer the Clearwater Christian College Men's soccer team did what no CCC sports team had done previously. The Men's soccer team went to Brazil to participate in a eight-day ministry of a construction project, with painting every morning and a youth rally with eighty Brazilian groups. The soccer team was also a part of a church construction project.

Since the soccer team visits Brazil every two years, Dale Traxler and Sam Greeley were the only team members who had gone to Brazil two years ago. Dale and Sam had helped build the foundation of the church; this year they saw the finished building. Brian Rought, a junior from Limerick, Pennsylvania, said, "The ministry was cool because it helped our team chemistry a lot in the eight days we were in Brazil. We learned the value of working together to minister and then to play soccer."

The ministry could be the key to a team's success this year that helps the team get over the .500 mark and knock off the defending regional and national champions, Southeastern University Fire. The team last year finished with 10 wins and 10 losses (most none conference games) and one tie. The team saw their season finished early in the South Regional Tournament first round.

But this year should be different. The team is a more experience than last year's team with seven sophomores, seven juniors and two seniors.

The team also brings in seven talented freshmen, who should mix in well with the veterans. Dale Traxler and Sam Greeley are the captains of this year's soccer team.

Since they are the only two seniors on the team, they have one more chance to succeed against the defending camps Southeastern and become champs.

The team's chemistry is looking good, perhaps partly because they worked together in Brazil.

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