Childhood connections strengthening team relationships
December 8, 2020
For Coppell senior defender Garrett Greaves, long drives to soccer games when he was younger were made enjoyable with the company of his best friend, Coppell senior defender Collin MacDonald. To pass time, the two would quote “The Office” and make jokes no one else would understand.
This enduring friendship started in 2012, when MacDonald’s mother Kathy Peck started the Andromeda Soccer Club. Greaves and MacDonald joined the team in fourth grade and played together until sixth grade. The club merged with the Solar Soccer Club in 2016.
“The difference between on and off the field is knowing there’s a time to compete,” MacDonald said. “We have no problems going against each other and even talking trash, because we can walk off the field and forget about it.”
As freshmen, they tried out for the Coppell soccer team together and made it. Since, they have formed an intimate connection that draws from their experience on the club team.
“While we’re playing, we can anticipate what the other person is doing,” Greaves said. “We can communicate without talking, and then off the field, we have basically the same sense of humor.”
For MacDonald, growing up with soccer is a family tradition. Peck, who is the substitute coordinator at CHS, played soccer throughout her childhood and in college at the University of North Texas and San Diego State University. His older brother, CHS 2017 graduate Ryan MacDonald, played soccer at Coppell for all four years of high school.
“It started out where we would go to the park and I would always bring a soccer ball, because that was second nature to me,” Peck said. “I played in the adult league at Andy Brown, and the kids would come watch and hang out at the park while I played games on Sundays.”
Greaves started soccer when he was 4. He was coached by his father, Tim Greaves, who played the sport in his teen years at Pine Tree High School. However, his experience with the sport goes beyond local games—in 2018, Garrett played international tournaments in Finland and Sweden.
“We played teams from all over the world who didn’t speak the same language as us, but who were competing for the same trophy,” Garrett said. “We were united through soccer.”
Greaves and MacDonald enter their last season of high school soccer. As seniors, they set an example for the underclassmen on the team.
“We both bring a really good energy that fuels other people,” MacDonald said. “That’s one of the ways we’ve been able to lead this year.”
Follow Trisha (@trishatluri) and @SidekickSports on Twitter.
