- April 26, 2024
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Senior Madison Politis scores her fourth goal of the match. Photos by Jeff Dawsey
Abby Gabriel heads a pass to her teammate.
Alauna Neely scores her first goal of the game
Kara Haas gets past defenders to assist on a goal.
Seniors Skyler Mayo, Madison Politis, Alex Hoffman and Amber Kelley
SKyler Mayo sets up Politis for her second goal.
The Seabreeze seniors may have played their final game at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Unlike some student-athletes who relocate over the course of several years, Amber Kelley, Skyler Mayo, Madison Politis and Alex Hoffman have only known the OBSC as their home field.
Having grown up in this area, the four played on the same little league squads, and now they’re making history together on the same team.
Humble beginnings
Head coach Kim Merkel — then an assistant — remembers the girls when she first observed them on the field.
“They come out as freshman, intimidated, not knowing their place on the team,” she said. “But, they’ve progressed every year to become leaders that we need them to be, to carry the rest of the team.”
Politis has progressed the most, going from a three-goal and four-assist player in her sophomore season to scoring 28 goals while assisting on 23 as a junior. Through 14 games, she’s already scored 14 and assisted on 10 others.
All the girls agree that their best moments over the last four years came last season last juniors. They beat Matanzas for the first time in several years, and they won their district championship.
Team bonding
Politis, Kelley, Hoffman and Mayo believe their preseason team-bonding retreats enabled them to pull off such feats. During those weekends, coach Merkel set up team-building competitions and opened up conversations that allow the girls to understand each other.
“We find out so much about each other that we never knew, and it makes us closer,” Politis said.
Kelley agreed, saying, “It’s easier to play with people when you know them better.”
Those bonding opportunities creep into practices and games, and they always please the coach.
“When I see them get together in little groups, when we’re in between drills,” Merkel said, “and they’re getting water, I’ll see them just bust out laughing. That’s really cool. It lets me know that my team is getting along and enjoying soccer.”
