“Chargers on 3… 1, 2,3, Chargers!” The team cheers before stepping out on the field. The athletes run out to the field and get into position while facing the eyes of their opponents. With one blow of the whistle, the game begins. 

After tryouts on Feb. 20, the girls soccer team has practiced together since Feb. 23, 2023. With the soccer season, the girls soccer team hasn’t had many games, but they already know what to expect and how to prepare for it. 

“I tried out for the team freshman year because I wanted to be a student-athlete and represent Chantilly with a sport I have enjoyed since I was little,” varsity soccer senior Jade Guardino said.

Most of the girls on the soccer team also play club soccer. The most significant difference is the teamwork within a team. Club soccer teams have had the same members for years, but school teams host tryouts to choose a new team yearly. For school soccer, athletes must learn how to work with new teammates and understand how each player plays to succeed. 

“I think school and club soccer are very different because school soccer is more about the experience, while the club is more about growing your soccer skills,” varsity soccer freshman Priya Viswanath said. “Team building off and on the field is very important because it helps players learn personal information about their teammates, which can have a huge impact on our playing on the field.”

School soccer season lasts only two months, but club soccer lasts the whole year. Therefore, school soccer requires intense training and more weekly practice than club soccer. The time frame means teammates need to learn to work with each other faster. In addition, the school soccer team has games on weekdays, but club soccer has games on weekends.

“I also have school soccer practice four or five times a week with lifting in the weight room two days a week,” Guardino said. “Weekday games can get stressful with tests and a game in one day, and balancing school work and soccer is sometimes challenging.” 

The school team goes out for team dinners and bonding events; collaboration helps relieve tension between players and helps with a smooth tournament. Some of the traditions for soccer include having a newbie breakfast for new players on the team, dressing up nicely to school before home games and themed attire that can be more fun for away games. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of one’s teammates can help one understand where one can fill in. 

“The JV team has team dinners every night before games, and everybody is super friendly, so it wasn’t hard to create a collaborative environment,” JV soccer freshman Summer Strenglein said.

The girls soccer team has 13 games in the regular season, each against a different school; the regular season is planned to end on May 11 unless the team qualifies further into the season. The team’s next game is on Apr. 25 against Oakton High School. 

“The stronger the bond between teammates, the more team spirit there is,” Stregnlein said. “It’s essential never to forget the team’s goal: to improve individually, strengthen team bonds, and have fun.”