Walking into the
Houston (Germantown, Tenn.) gym on Friday evening you would have been hard pressed to believe that you were actually walking into a basketball game: Students dressed in business attire and other students dressed in camouflage hunting gear.
As it turned out, it was the annual "trashy classy" game played between the Houston Mustangs and the Dragons of Collierville High School. This alone made for a great atmosphere as the third annual MaxPreps Girls Soccer Tour of Champions presented by the National Guard was in town to honor the Lady Mustangs soccer team for its outstanding accomplishment and for finishing the season ranked as the eighth-best team in the nation by MaxPreps.
Out of all the tour stops that I have had the pleasure of being a part of, no team has brought more energy or excitement than this group of girls. It was extremely evident that not only were they excited about being nationally recognized but it meant a lot to them as well. When it came time for them to be presented with the Army National Guard national ranking trophy, not a single soul from the Houston stands moved. Halftime is usually used for fans to get up, stretch their legs, and go grab some food. But not for the Houston fans on this night, it was apparent that they all wanted to take part in their soccer team's accomplishment.
Sergeant Fisk of the Tennessee Army National Guard did an excellent job getting the crowd fired up. His words literally got the fans up on their feet. He along with two of his National Guard colleagues, one of whom is a senior at Houston High School, presented the Minuteman Trophy to the head coach David Wolff and the National Ranking banner to the team. While talking with Sergeant Fisk, he told me that the girls team had a simple saying, "We are Houston" and how that spoke to the fact that they do not see themselves as individuals or an individual team for that matter. They represent the school and the town first and foremost, just how the Army National Guard represents its respective state and country first and foremost.
With six state titles to their name, there's been a long tradition of excellence and success that has been set forth. And now with a top 10 national ranking, that's just another accomplishment that can be added to the Lady Mustangs' long running resume of soccer superiority. And believe me when I say that they are not content with just being No. 8, they want to be ranked No. 1.
As we were getting ready to leave, I had the pleasure of talking to one of the girls' father. The last words he said to me were "Tell Maria Carrillo [the No. 1 team in the nation according to MaxPreps] that we're coming for them next year." With the community, school and parental support behind them, the Houston Mustangs have all the forces to become the best team in the nation.
