Students in their senior year often lose interest in the past and instead look only to their futures. But this is not true for everyone. Seniors Zac Carter, Ben Searles, Chandler Organ, Adrian D’Avanzo and Graham Ruder are using their senior year as a way to reflect on their memories before they leave Grady. The five friends have played soccer with and against each other as a part of the Inter Atlanta Football Club, formerly known as Atlanta Youth Soccer Association (AYSA), since before elementary school. After splitting off to play for different clubs for several years, they decided this year to reunite with their old club and play together for their senior year.
“I think that the fact that those guys have come back together to play with each other from their old clubs says a lot about their character and says a lot about their friendship,” said Scott Rodgers, the coach of the Under-19 division at Inter Atlanta FC.
In addition to reliving the old days, one benefit to the boys was the less serious nature of the club, as opposed to the larger and more competitive clubs many of them had previously joined, such as the Concorde Fire Club and the Chiefs Futbol Club East.
“The reason we play soccer is to play with our friends,” Ruder said. “Because when you’re playing soccer and you hate your teammates, there’s no point in playing the game.”
Despite the less competitive nature of playing Inter Atlanta FC in their senior year, D’Avanzo, Carter and Ruder have found that playing with each other has improved their own game.
“I think the team has really strong chemistry because we all know each other,” Carter said. “It’s so much more fun on the field. You’re not thinking about winning the entire time.”
Rodgers agreed their level of playing was improved by their familiarity with each other and their friendships. He also said that in Inter Atlanta FC’s history, there have been a larger number of groups of friends who stick “for the long-run,” which, in turn, makes the club better.
“I’m honored to be a part of these guys coming to play for me and the fact that they’re all friends is a definite plus,” Rodgers said. “There are some other clubs out there that don’t have the character of kids that I have.”
Ruder, one of the few who has stayed with Inter Atlanta FC his entire life, was one of the first to propose the idea of starting a U-19 team comprised of members from their old AYSA teams.
“I honestly did not expect some of these people to give up their spots … which are very, very good, and it’s a hard position to get to,” Ruder said.
With the help of his friends and parents, Ruder petitioned Inter Atlanta FC to create a new U-19 team for them because the former team had graduated. For those like Ruder and D’Avanzo who do not plan to play college soccer, this team seemed like the perfect ending to their high school soccer career.
“Most of us have accepted that we aren’t going to go to college to play ball, so if we can just have fun this one last season, then that’s what we’re going to do,” Ruder said.
Whatever the reasons, all of the boys agreed playing with their old teammates and for their senior year was the best decision.
“It’s one of the best things in the world if you get to play soccer with people that are close to you and people that you trust and know and can have fun with,” Ruder said.
