Stretched out across Barrington High School’s main field is a group of 30 boys playing soccer in the harsh wind. There’s one blob of red, and another gray. There are a few spectators too, braving the cold to cheer on their friends. The few spectators are yelling furiously at the red team. If you look far enough, at the top of the bleachers stands a tripod and a camera crew standing behind it, documenting the spectacle.
‘Tnf’ and ‘Lsl’ are two different friend groups, each made up of around ten guys. The groups’ members are good friends with one another as well, so a sort of friendly competition between the two began. The idea for a match was set, but exactly what that match was going to be was yet to be figured out. That’s when Jude Afreh, a longtime member of ‘Tnf’, came up with the idea of a soccer game.
“It all started as friendly banter. Both friends are really connected, and we talk with one another all the time. Once, when we were talking to each other about the names of each group chat, ‘Lsl’ explained to us that their name stood for ‘La Soccer League’, and that soccer was an activity that helped them bond and grow close to one another as friends. I joked then that ‘Tnf’, which is short for ‘TenFour’, would still beat them in a soccer game, even though it’s their main sport, but then we all thought it was a good idea to test it out. That’s when the plans started,” Afreh said.
And then, game day was here. The weather was much poorer than hoped for, yet both teams preserved. Each team brought equipment, fans and snacks. After standing for the national anthem and playing the coin toss to begin the match, it was game on.
Minutes into the game, it was evident that not everyone had much experience in the sport.
But soon, it became clear the guys on the field were not at all playing for the game, they were there to be with their friends. Nolan Maycunich, another ‘Tnf’ member, exemplifies this. Maycunich admitted he was not particularly good at or interested in soccer, but was nevertheless happy to play. Maycunich, a newer joinee to his group of friends, sees his participation in the game as a testament to the strong bond he’s built with his friends in the past couple of months.
“It’s truly a blessing. This group picked me up and gave me a space to be happy and belong,” Maycunich said.
Despite the palpable passion of ‘Tnf’, it was not enough to best the years of experience ‘Lsl’ had as a group playing soccer together. Led by captain Jacob Drage, ‘Lsl’ won 4-3. Drage was happy with the win, though he was worried during the second half when it looked like his team was getting lazy from overconfidence. Drage immediately brought his team back into shape with a fierce speech.
“We started making mistakes we didn’t need to. But in the end, we got back, and we got the job done,” Drage said.
For Drage, his motivation to lead the team is sourced from his love for his friends.
“My friends mean everything to me. I don’t call them my friends – I call them my brothers because they’re family to me. I feel very honored to be captain, and to be wearing the captain band,” Drage said.
After the game, the players from both teams got together for one photo – everyone either smiling, sweating or both with their arms around one another. The photo was fitting for the game, showing how the whole affair was so much more than just a soccer match.
“Playing here is just more than a game. Instead, being here today is a representation of my love and loyalty to my friends, and the love we all have for each other,” Milan Patel, ‘Tnf’ member said Stretched out across Barrington High School’s main field is a group of 30 boys playing soccer in the harsh wind. There’s one blob of red, and another gray. There are a few spectators too, braving the cold to cheer on their friends. The few spectators are yelling furiously at the red team. If you look far enough, at the top of the bleachers stands a tripod and a camera crew standing behind it, documenting the spectacle.
What’s all this for? At first thought, it might seem the whole setup must be for the official Barrington boys’ soccer time. But it’s not: this is the ‘Tnf’ vs ‘Lsl’ soccer match – supposedly it’s the first one of more to come.
‘Tnf’ and ‘Lsl’ are two different friend groups, each made up of around ten guys. The groups’ members are good friends with one another as well, so a sort of friendly competition between the two began. The idea for a match was set, but exactly what that match was going to be was yet to be figured out. That’s when Jude Afreh, a longtime member of ‘Tnf’, came up with the idea of a soccer game.
“It all started as friendly banter. Both friends are really connected, and we talk with one another all the time. Once, when we were talking to each other about the names of each group chat, ‘Lsl’ explained to us that their name stood for ‘La Soccer League’, and that soccer was an activity that helped them bond and grow close to one another as friends. I joked then that ‘Tnf’, which is short for ‘TenFour’, would still beat them in a soccer game, even though it’s their main sport, but then we all thought it was a good idea to test it out. That’s when the plans started,” Afreh said.
And then, game day was here. The weather was much poorer than hoped for, yet both teams preserved. Each team brought equipment, fans and snacks. After standing for the national anthem and playing the coin toss to begin the match, it was game on.
Minutes into the game, it was evident that not everyone had much experience in the sport.
But soon, it became clear the guys on the field were not at all playing for the game, they were there to be with their friends. Nolan Maycunich, another ‘Tnf’ member, exemplifies this. Maycunich admitted he was not particularly good at or interested in soccer, but was nevertheless happy to play. Maycunich, a newer joinee to his group of friends, sees his participation in the game as a testament to the strong bond he’s built with his friends in the past couple of months.
“It’s truly a blessing. This group picked me up and gave me a space to be happy and belong,” Maycunich said.
Despite the palpable passion of ‘Tnf’, it was not enough to best the years of experience ‘Lsl’ had as a group playing soccer together. Led by captain Jacob Drage, ‘Lsl’ won 4-3. Drage was happy with the win, though he was worried during the second half when it looked like his team was getting lazy from overconfidence. Drage immediately brought his team back into shape with a fierce speech.
“We started making mistakes we didn’t need to. But in the end, we got back, and we got the job done,” Drage said.
For Drage, his motivation to lead the team is sourced from his love for his friends.
“My friends mean everything to me. I don’t call them my friends – I call them my brothers because they’re family to me. I feel very honored to be captain, and to be wearing the captain band,” Drage said.
After the game, the players from both teams got together for one photo – everyone either smiling, sweating or both with their arms around one another. The photo was fitting for the game, showing how the whole affair was so much more than just a soccer match.
“Playing here is just more than a game. Instead, being here today is a representation of my love and loyalty to my friends, and the love we all have for each other,” Milan Patel, ‘Tnf’ member said.
