The contrast between the players is staggering: some are varsity athletes, others are accomplished students and most are students looking for a good time. Yet, all of their differences disappear when they lace up their cleats and step onto the field with a soccer ball at their feet.
Two student teams competed in Resolute Athletic Complex’s spring indoor soccer season against a variety of friendly and fierce competition. Senior and Bexsleazy captain Malcolm Sexton said any high school student who wants to join can, but each team is required to pay a $1,000 entry fee which is distributed evenly and paid for by the players.
While being a team member comes with a cost, senior varsity soccer player and Bexslushy member Lily Jones said the girls team is often looking for substitutes to play.
Jones said both teams played a variety of competition during the season, with some opponents focusing more on having fun while others were more serious club or school teams.
“Sometimes it’s good to play against better teams because it challenges us, but it’s even more fun to play against teams like us who are there with no expectations,” she said.
Sexton felt a need for additional soccer teams outside of the school after a group of students missed the feeling of playing with their peers.
“All my friends and I played for the Columbus East Soccer Association growing up, and after doing some research, we decided to put a team together,” he said.
Once the demand was high enough, Sexton said he registered his team during his junior year, and it has continued through his senior year.
Senior Solly McDow said playing for Bexsleazy was reminiscent of playing soccer as a kid.
“I played soccer for a long time, so it also brings back memories of how fun it used to be,” he explained.
McDow said the highs and lows of the games are what make them enjoyable.
“People think a con of the league is that we occasionally get whooped by good competition, but we don’t take it very seriously, so regardless of the score, we’re able to have fun,” he added.
McDow said the players got to coach themselves and wear what they wanted, making the experience even more enjoyable.
Another benefit of the league is that it helps him enjoy an activity that differs from his primary sport, McDow added.
“I think this experience is good for me because the only sport I do outside of this is cross country where I just run,” he said. “Now, I get to enjoy myself and play sports with friends.”
Unlike high school soccer, the pressure and achievement expectations aren’t present in the indoor league, Jones explained.
“I ended this school soccer season feeling very tired, but this league helped me find the reason to keep playing,” she said.
Sexton feels a similar sense of relief with the carefree atmosphere of the league.
“Going from football where it’s very competitive and full-go the whole time to being able to just play sports in a relaxed environment is very enjoyable,” he said.
The future of the league for the boys team is unclear, but Sexton said he is hopeful it will continue.
“We only have two juniors on our team, and I’m not sure if they would want to keep it going,” Sexton said.
Similarly, the girls team will also be dependent on the few juniors who participate, Jones said.
“Hopefully a group will be pulled together, but one of the reasons we started the team was because it was our senior year and we wanted to have fun before we would all be gone,” she explained. “Maybe the team is just meant to be a one year thing and live in those memories.”
