Soccer is the world’s most known sport, and some may consider it the world’s best sport. Every single country has heard of soccer, or football as it is known around the world.

The boys soccer team at Miami High had a winning season this year with 9 wins, 7 losses, and 4 ties. The head coach of the team is physical science teacher Mr. Carlos Zuniga.

He felt the team’s best game was against Columbus. “They are an awesome team, they were district champs last year, and we beat them 3-2,” he said.

The toughest loss for him was the game against Braddock. “We were winning 1-0. Then the referee made a bad call, and Braddock got a penalty and scored. Then Braddock scored another goal and we lost 2-1.”

Just like any team, Miami High has its great players. For Coach Zuniga, those players were the ones who “have more heart than the other players”: junior Jose Sanchez who plays center back and is captain of the team; senior goalkeeper Marvin Alvarez; senior mid fielder Gabriel Gama; and middle forwards Gianluca Abate and Marco Fernandez, who go to school at iPrep but play here because their school doesn’t have a soccer team.

For Jose Sanchez, there are no players that are better than the others. He feels that everybody on the team plays their part and plays to the best of their abilities.

On the contrary, junior Rolando Espinoza, who plays right wing, says that the captain of the team, Jose Sanchez, is the greatest player “because you could see how determined and focused he is in practice and you could tell he has a winning mentality.”

Being part of a team can make you feel like you have your own family here at school. Keven Gonzalez, a sophomore left back, says, “The greatest part is the chemistry that we all have for each other on and off the field.”  Team captain Jose Sanchez said, “It feels great because of the bond you make. It’s like having a second family.”

Having played many games this season, one game is going to make you feel the most overwhelmed or exploding with happiness. For center midfielder Anthony Amaya,  a senior, the Coral Gables game at home felt the greatest because it was the most intense for him due to their fans which he felt were the reason the game felt like it was slowing down.

Marlon Alonzo, a senior and right back, felt the game against Columbus was the greatest because Miami High really needed to win that game, and he also ended up scoring against one of the best teams in the district.

Losing can make you feel disappointed when you are on a team. You might feel like you didn’t try your best or that it was your fault. Senior Marvin Alvarez, the team’s goalkeeper, felt like the game against Miami Beach at home was the toughest loss because they lost 6-0 and he didn’t expect they would lose by that much.

Anthony Amaya says the game versus Braddock at the end of the season when they lost 2-1 was the toughest loss because it was the game that defined whether or not they got into playoffs. He also felt devastated because, “I know it’s my last year being a Sting, and I won’t have the opportunity of playing another high school game.”

If you are interested in joining soccer next year, then you will have to meet these requirements: minimum 2.0 GPA, be in a good physical shape, and have previous experience in soccer.