Each fall, around a few dozen seniors looking for an enjoyable and stress-free afternoon activity, partake in the intramural sport Senior Soccer. Throughout the season, the team scrimmages the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams on campus and other intramural teams including Regatta Crew. Most years, the intramural squad of inexperienced players loses to the interscholastic soccer teams. But this year, Senior Soccer has taken down Boys’ J.V. and Thirds Soccer, Girls’ J.V. and Thirds Soccer.
This year’s team is comprised of about 30 to 40 players of various genders and levels of soccer experience — some players come after years playing on interscholastic teams, while others have never kicked a soccer ball. The team meets to practice for an hour every day, from Monday through Thursday, and it plays a game against another Choate team once a week. “It’s all games, it’s all about fun, and it’s a time for sixth formers in the fall term, which is notoriously known for being hard to play around and laugh,” said head coach Mr. John Cobb.
The team only scrimmages during its practices — they do not complete drills or conditioning. Most of the team are friends with each other, and the primary goal is to have fun. “I like to think of it as an oasis in the midst of a really hectic term. Our rules are to laugh, pass to everyone, and to not talk about college stuff,” Mr. Cobb said.
The team’s unusual success is in large part thanks to former soccer player Jake Nadzam ’20, who, most observers agree, is the best player on the team. Nadzam has been playing soccer for more than seven years and played on Boys’ J.V. Soccer during his freshman, sophomore, and junior seasons. This year, Nadzam turned down a spot on Boys’ Varsity Soccer to focus on the rigorous and demanding college admission process.
“I’d rather feel bad for quitting the [varsity] team than feel bad for not applying to colleges well,” Nadzam said. He added that the time commitment of a varsity sport made it difficult to play for Boys’ Varsity Soccer during the fall, but Senior Soccer was the perfect place to continue a sport he enjoys while having more time during afternoons and weekends. Like Nadzam, other seniors see Senior Soccer as a way to have a fun time with friends and exercise, while still maintaining enough time to work on college applications and other academic commitments.
In addition to Nadzam, the team has a few other players with an interscholastic Choate soccer experience. Alexandra Alkhayer ’20, Christopher Gore-Grimes ’20, Sonali Singh ’20, and George Trammell ’20 have all played on either Boys’ or Girls’ J.V. Soccer. These players, as well as Nadzam, give the team enough talent in its lineup to be competitive against the interscholastic Choate soccer teams.
Some seniors new to soccer have also played critical roles for the team. Andrew Mi ’20 has been a brick wall in the net, despite having never played goalie prior to this fall. Newcomers Tash Hobson ’20 and Yolanda Wang ’20 form a solid defensive line ahead of Mi.
Whether it’s the friendships they’ve formed or their skilful squad that has contributed to their success, one thing is clear: no Choate team will easily defeat Senior Soccer.
