Q&A with Tradition Prep boys soccer coach Addam LeClair
PORT SAINT LUCIE, Fla. —
What are the team’s goals for the current/upcoming season?
Addam LeClair: The team goals in Tradition Prep’s inaugural varsity soccer season were to win 30%-40% of our season games and to win our SSAC independent league Championship tournament.
What is the team’s current overall record and previous season record?
LeClair: As this is our first season there is no previous records. This season our record is currently 5-9-1 (with 2 games left to play)
How does this team compare to other great teams in the program or school’s history?
LeClair: Tradition Prep is a new school that is only in the 3rd year of existence, and first year of varsity sports. We only have Freshmen, Sophomore, and Junior students. We will add seniors in the 2023-24 school year.
Who are the team’s captains or leaders? What makes them a vital part of the team’s success?
LeClair: Team Captain is Gustavo Souza. Gustavo (10th grade) has been the team captain for the entire season. He displayed a strong passion for soccer and inspirational leadership in our pre-season conditioning and has continued to be an everyday leader since. His love of the game and constant energy has been the backbone for our team’s growth throughout the season. Gustavo has also been a star on the pitch at striker by keeping constant pressure on opposing defenses and verbally encouraging his teammates. While Gustavo has been our rock at Captain, there are several others who have been vital to our team’s growth.
Keeper Derek Bigtree has been a savior to our team on multiple occasions this season. Never more than in our SSAC semifinal matchup that went into penalty kicks to decide the winner. In that match, Derek made several big saves to keep the game tied in regulation time. In the penalty shootout he saved an unheard of 3 out of 4 penalty shots which pushed us through to the SSAC final match. Derek’s growth as a keeper this season has been significant. His ability to come out of the goal and challenge a break way has grown into something that other teams should fear. I believe his best is yet to come.
Another young man who has shown wonderful skill throughout the season and has been crucial to our victories is Niccolo Antonini. Niccolo (along with his younger brother Gabriel, a freshman who controlled our midfield this season and will undoubtedly be a leader and a star in the years to come) joined Tradition Prep this year after a move from Italy. Niccolo’s raw skill was on display from the very first practice, but he had to adjust his style of play to fit American soccer as the game is played differently across the pond. His abilities were on full display in our 3rd game of the season when he scored a hat trick off two free kicks from distance and a penalty kick that he stuck in the upper 90-degree corner of the goal. It was a beautiful moment and a kind of “coming out party” to our free kick specialist. However, Niccolo’s best moment came in the SSAC final where he scored 2 goals and assisted on another to help lift us to a 4-1 win. While his goals were not as “pretty” as his free kick goals, they came from hustle, determination, and the will to make big shots on the biggest stage.
It is difficult to pick out only a couple leaders because our very young team had so many players that stood out at different times throughout the season. Our success has been due to the team chemistry and willingness to follow an unorthodox coach’s strategy. All the players had to adjust to new strategies, new positions, and new formations. It cannot be understated how difficult that can be to a young player. At times, every player on our roster had to go through adversity, many injuries, discomfort, lack of playing time, and many other situations that required tenacity to survive. I could make a case that every one of my players has been a leader in some capacity throughout this past season.
I would like to shout out a couple more players for extraordinary effort. Marc Jackson was our leading scorer this season with hustle goals, a hat-trick performance, and possibly the prettiest goal of the year in the SSAC final when he took a bouncing ball shot from 30 yards out and snuck it in under the crossbar. Our defensive leader is Marvin Gay, a star 3 sport athlete that plays football and soccer while also running track. Marvin is a fearless defender who never shies from contact and always plays with a fire in his eyes and a chip on his shoulder. Marvin shined brightly in the SSAC tournament as the leader of a defense that only allowed 2 goals in both games combined.
It is difficult for me to not continue naming players that aided our success this year, but many of my young players will be highlighted here in the years to come!
Has the team made any comeback victories this season?
LeClair: We did not have any comeback victories this year. However, in several games against much larger schools we held them even for 3 out of the 4 quarters. One bad 20 min stretch cost us dearly in several games, but the heart of my team to play even against much larger and much older teams cannot be understated.
Does the team have any pre-game rituals or traditions?
LeClair: We have a Unique Chant that I created and we do before every game:
Captain: Trust Yourself,
Team: Trust yourself,
Captain: Trust your Team,
Team: Trust your team,
Captain: Get That WIN,
Team: Get that WIN,
Captain: Tradition on 3; 1..2..3..
Team: TRADITION!!
Does the team have a favorite pre-game or post-game meal?
LeClair: Our boosters have provided us with pre-game snacks including oranges, granola bars, bananas, pickle juice, and Gatorade or Powerade. After the game, our boosters provided us with dinner, including Pub Subs, PDQ, or similar items.
How does the team welcome new members?
LeClair: Since this was our inaugural season, pretty much everyone was a new member. We welcomed everyone with open arms and open possibilities. We invited new potential players to join a scrimmage so I could assess their abilities, and to introduce them to the group dynamics of our team.
Does the team have a “hype man”? Please share how the team gets hyped up for competition.
LeClair: Our hype man is unquestionably our Captain, Gustavo Souza. He led out pre-game warm-ups and pre-game chant with unparalleled energy. Gustavo is always hyped about soccer and his love for the game is infectious. He plays at a high energy level and as the captain, he demands his teammates match his level of intensity. Even when we are off the pitch, or in the classroom, Gustavo’s love of soccer keeps everyone invested in our team.
How does the team celebrate?
LeClair: After our two SSAC tournament wins, our team celebrated with a “pig pile” on the field. Our semifinal win saw players piling on our keeper after his impressive shootout performance. Our finals win pig pile happened at midfield, followed by a “wine shower” using the Welch’s flavored juice bottles that look like wine bottles. We sprayed them all over each other in 50-degree weather and loved every second of it.
Has the team (or any individuals) broken any records this year? (for example: single game/season statistics like scoring or wins in a season, first state appearance, etc.)
LeClair: Class 2A SSAC Champions (first Championship in school history FOR ANY SPORT)
What has motivated the team to reach their goals this season?
LeClair: This team has been a self-driven machine all year. Their passion and desire were aspects that only needed the barest of stoking. As Coach, I constantly pushed their abilities and emotions as hard as I could. In past years as a coach at another school I won nearly all of my matches. I used my past teams and successes as motivators for my current team. The comparison was something that rankled my players all season as they strove to meet my expectations and show that they are as good as my previous teams. While I do not credit this tactic with the lions share of their motivation, it definitely contributed. The majority of their motivation came from within themselves and the constant pressure to be better from their Captain.
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