I coached Lopez soccer for six years, starting in 2019 with middle schoolers and later having the privilege of moving up to varsity alongside them. In the 2023 season, as a varsity coach, I had about 40 students signed up for soccer. Lopez doesn’t make cuts, but we also didn’t have a junior varsity team due to budget constraints. The solution? My assistant coach and I divided the teams and ran two practices simultaneously. It doubled the workload and, honestly, significantly impacted the students’ experience. All this while also serving as the interim athletic director and trying to support students interested in playing college soccer.

The support from The Pack, parents, and the Community Soccer team was crucial in acquiring new game balls, nets, and uniforms for Lopez’s first-ever girls’ soccer team and organizing senior night celebrations, among other things. But this approach is not sustainable, and without a long-term solution, Lopez might lose its athletic programs entirely, which would be a real tragedy. The lessons students learn — about being part of a team, asking for and providing support, leadership, and respect — are invaluable benefits of school athletics when resources allow for such growth. A Parks and Recreation District, “Lopez Rec,” is truly the best way forward.

Mycah Kraushaar

Lopez Island