The girls varsity soccer team has had a long standing reputation of being a close-knit group. With yearly traditions, post-game team dinners, inside jokes, a lively team Instagram account, and a group chat that never stops buzzing, the girls are constantly connecting throughout their spring soccer season. 

One reason why the girls on the soccer team are so close knit is because they spend so much time together. Monday through Friday the girls either have a practice or game together after school which brings them together. Whether they are all sitting together chowing down on Publix subs before a game, screaming the lyrics to their favorite songs on their hour-long bus rides to away games, or cracking jokes with each other in between drills at practice, the girls spend quality time together almost every day from January to April. 

The girls also spend a lot of time together off the field. They often venture to Otter’s after a hard practice or to celebrate a win together. The girls will spend hours just sitting, talking, and laughing together. There also is a team sleepover at the beginning of the season that is meant to give the girls time to bond and get to know each other. Even when they aren’t physically together the girls varsity soccer group chat usually has the girls’ phones buzzing all day long. “As a team, we are always talking during the season, regardless of whether or not we’re actually at soccer,” said senior co-captain Josie Bird. “It’s really cool to see everyone grow together throughout the season.”

Another one of the driving forces in bringing the team together are the captains. The girls soccer team has two co-captains who really are the heart of the team and work hard to bring the girls together. It takes a certain type of person to go out of their way and take the lead on making friends with everyone at the beginning of the season. It can be hard sometimes to not only branch out to new people but also to create an environment where people feel comfortable enough to be themselves and make friends. Past senior co-captain Hayden Perciful is a great example of a leader on the team who brought her team together and created life-long friendships. “Sometimes it can be hard to get people to come out of their shells but it’s always worth it,” said past co-captain Perciful. “I’ve made so many close friends from being on the North Atlanta soccer team who I never would have met without it.”
It’s clear that the girls varsity soccer team works to create a strong bond between its players every year. The girls work not only to play great soccer but to make friendships with their teammates that last even after their high school years are over. The bonds that they create help them to be a strong, well rounded team which is a perfect representation of the Warrior spirit!