Team-first attitude key for Stratford soccer team's success

The Stratford boys soccer program is no stranger to success. Since 2000, it has won four GISA championships and has finished as the state runner-up seven times.

The Eagles (7-5) had a chance to add a GHSA title to the trophy case last year but couldn't capitalize in a 3-0 loss to Atlanta International at Mercer.

But this year, after losing four starting seniors -- including two who are starting at Division I programs -- head coach Ian Hayley said the key to returning to that spotlight will be playing as a team.

"In order for us to get as far as we can possibly go, we're all going to have to be on the same page; we're all going to have to buy-in to how we play," he said. "If we start to think of ourselves as individuals, then that's going to cause problems."

And he said that individualistic mindset has held the team back at times this season, whether it's focusing on being the team leader in goals scored or something else. The Eagles lost two of their first three games, a 2-1 loss to Savannah Arts and 7-3 defeat against Fellowship.

Hayley said putting together the correct personnel has been a struggle at times this year after losing 10 seniors, including Jonathan Dean, now at Wofford, and Lukas Joyner, at Georgia State, both who were central midfielders.

Senior Felton Hatcher said he feels, with those two players gone, the team has to play more together than before this year.

"It was kind of interesting for us to make the transition from being able to almost watch them possess against the entire other team, but now I think it's almost a better situation for us because everyone's pulling their own weight," Hatcher said. "We all get to be accountable for our game, and it really kind of brings something new -- it's more of like a team effort."

As the season has progressed, the Eagles' performances have illustrated growth. Hayley said it's still a "very Stratford team," but it is very different from last year's squad.

After the slow start, the Eagles caught fire during a six-game stretch, scoring 53 goals and allowing only two as it went 5-1.

"They've worked very hard, and it's starting to come around to where we feel pretty comfortable with what we've got right now," Hayley said.

And as one of 10 current seniors on the team, Hatcher said he wanted to take a big leadership role before the season. One time, he vocalized that role was before the team's game against FPD on March 24.

He said he told his team, "I can't remember a time the Stratford boys team hadn't been playing for a state championship game. And that's kind of an issue for us, because sometimes I feel like we almost show up and expect to win the games. I think there's a big difference between us showing up and expecting to win and being confident that we should win and being confident that we're a good team."

And they can prove that again this year with another state title run. But before the playoffs begin, the Eagles will have four more regular-season games against Northside, Mount de Sales, Brookstone and Cairo.

"Historically, Stratford's goal when it was in the GISA was always to win the state championship," Hayley said. "I don't think that goal has changed, but we do realize that the goals might be a little more out of reach than they were before (being in the GHSA), or a little tougher to get."

This story was originally published April 11, 2016 at 8:06 PM with the headline "Team-first attitude key for Stratford soccer team's success ."