The Spartanburg High School soccer teams have started their 2026 season with a bang. The girls varsity team has a current record of 3-4-3. The varsity boys team has a record of 4-4. The JV girls have a record of 1-6-1. The JV boys team has a record of 2-6. The girls C-team has a record of 0-3. And lastly, the C-team boys have a record of 2-2. The teams have played hard and worked even harder to gain a connection with their teammates and their coaches, while also building the principal playing skills.
Paul Karban, the varsity boys soccer coach, leads practice five days a week and is eager to see the team’s progression over the course of this soccer season.
“During the season, soccer typically practices five days a week for approximately an hour and 45 minutes. However, once games begin, we usually have at least two games per week, so technically in-season, soccer practices three days per week. Our season is off and running and we have played well at times; our boys varsity soccer team has started this season off by going 4-4 through eight matches,” Karban said.
As a way to keep building important relationships inside their teams, the boys soccer team has a pregame tradition of saying a thoughtful prayer to inspire a good outcome of their game.
Adrian Mejia (9), a varsity boys soccer player, enjoys his team traditions and spending time with his fellow teammates.
“I’m a freshman defensive midfielder at SHS. I’ve been playing soccer for seven years now. The experience so far at SHS has been great. Besides some of the ups and downs this season, we are 4-4. We have pregame traditions such as praying before kickoff at each game. We have a great group of guys here and are looking to improve our record as the season progresses,” Mejia said
In sports, a loss doesn’t necessarily mean defeat. The girls JV team experienced a loss against Dorman High School where they played skillfully and notably, and that is a win in itself.
Briana Dean, head coach of the junior varsity girls’ team, sees the JV team advancing throughout the season.
“As the games and practices go on, we improve tremendously. Our last game we played was against Dorman and we lost 1-0. It was a hard-fought battle. My assistant, Coach Taryn and I, both agreed that was the best game we have played as a team. As the season goes on, we will find new strengths each and every day,” Dean said.
Another great opportunity of the soccer team is that it allows middle schoolers to participate in high school sports. This is a wonderful way to assimilate into the sports and high school scene before a student reaches high school. This creates a long-lasting impression on coaches and other teammates. Models like C-team to JV and then to varsity build strong programs because it grants more students the chance to play sports. When students reach their junior and senior years of high school they will have built a strong relationship with their sport, teammates and coaches.
Estella Tatu (12) creates lasting memories with her teammates through her hard work and dedication.
“I play goalkeeper and playing that position has taught me a lot about leadership and staying confident under pressure. One thing I really love about my team is how we support each other and work hard every day, and we also have fun together and that makes it big difference during the season. Being a part of the SHS soccer team is really special because we always push each other to do better and never give up no matter how tough the game is,” Tatu said.
Both boys and girls teams have winning strategies and attitudes. It is encouraging to see so many motivated students investing their time and energy into this sport. Though the records aren’t what they would like, the Vikings know that winning is ahead. The school is avid in seeing the Spartan High soccer teams succeed this season.
