Since the start of the program in 2008, Head Coach Zach Sullivan has had players make the First Team All-Bay Valley Conference each season. Last year the team placed second in the Bay Valley Conference and finished 16th in the Northern California. This is an amazing feat considering Sullivan began the Merritt soccer program from scratch just three years ago.
This year the team is working as hard as ever, and in a season of 15 weeks, they played 21 games, not including playoffs. This means multiple games a week, both away and home, and for the rest of the week, rigorous practices.
Prince Bere, the 2010 BVC defender of the year and First Team All-BVC, is currently ranked sixth in the state for goals and assists. Bere, born in Nigeria where he learned to play soccer with an orange, has come a long way since then and was offered a spot to play for the San Jose Earthquakes.
Bere shares the title of co-captain with Jonas Voiron, also a member of the 2010 First Team All-BVC. Bere and Voiron explained that several key players were injured early this season and were unable to continue playing.
This was a mental challenge at first, but teammate Jason Swihart said, "We have a whole lot of good players and talent." Despite the player losses, the team has managed a solid record of 8-7-2.
It is clear the team has a lot of talent and passion for the game. They also have team camaraderie: "We are all friends," Swihart said. They work hard together, play hard together, and many share the same goal to play at a four-year college or university.
The Merritt players are proud of what they have accomplished, and rightly so, which is why they deserve recognition and support. The Thunderbirds play their final game before playoffs on Nov. 10 against Napa Valley College in Napa.
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