JCM soccer using final season as motivation

JACKSON, Tenn — The JCM soccer team worked silently Tuesday in their gym due to the rain.

As silent as the Cougars athletics have been this season, after a winless football season, and just a handful of wins in boys basketball.

After starting 4-0, this green and gold soccer team thinks they have a chance to really represent their school in its last year.

“I’ve always tried to coach with that sense of team and family and that we matter to each other,” Coach Leah Dotson explained.

Coach Dotson said their early success has sparked encouragement from past players, who want to see them succeed.

“They feel this is part of their legacy too,” Coach Dotson said. “Just because JCM itself won’t be here anymore, I still want them to feel like what they’re doing is a legacy for the school.

It’s that legacy players said they’re playing for, not just for themselves, but for their school.

“With it being the last year, we have something to prove out of all the years we’ve every been here,” JCM senior midfielder, Riede Stone said. “There is pride in this school. There’s a lot of people in here that are going to miss it, and we feel like we have something to prove. We need to set a tone even though this is a last year, we won’t die out that easy.”

“No one else is going to wear JCM on their jersey, so being the last sports class for JCM, knowing that no one else will ever wear it, it definitely means a lot,” junior goalkeeper, George Berniand said.

In their first four wins, JCM soccer has beaten their opponents by a combined 23 goals.

They’ll get back into district play next Tuesday night when they play Trinity Christian.