Boys Football Closer

By Yuki Shibata '27

After a long year of ups and downs for the KAS football team, I had the chance to sit down and chat with two of our seniors on the team: Alexander Jenkins and Jesse Taffere. The KAS boys football team had a very young team this year and headed to AISA with just three seniors, leading and guiding them along the way. 

I first interviewed Jesse Taffere, who played football for the first time in his life as KAS, but managed to make a significant impact on the team. He is the mood maker and always lifts the spirits for the team. 

Yuki: How was your experience playing on the KAS football team and playing football for the first time in general? 

Jesse: Football? I think you mean soccer. Anyways, even though I played the whole season wearing American football cleats, I really enjoyed playing with the team and winning a few games. Coach Sam made my first time playing soccer very enjoyable, and he was always encouraging everyone to do better 

Yuki: Cool, do you have a favorite drill from the season? 

Jesse: For sure, I really enjoyed doing rondos because it’s the time when everyone was relaxed, passing, and laughing. 

Yuki: What was your favorite moment from this season? 

Jesse: My favorite moment definitely has to be scoring my first ever goal against I-Shou. That was also definitely our best match of the season. I also have to say, I really enjoyed karaoke on the bus rides even though I was the only one singing.

Yuki: What is your hope for the next generation of footballers at KAS? 

Jesse: I hope the team continues working hard and winning games. I believe there will be more talented players coming up and the team will definitely be better than this year’s. KAS is going to win TISSA next year, trust. 

Next, I interviewed the team captain, Alexander Jenkins. He was undoubtedly one of the most outstanding players on the pitch, displaying his passing and dribbling ability consistently. 

Yuki:  How did you feel when you were selected by Coach Sam to be the captain?  What was your experience of being a captain?

Alex: When I was first selected by Coach Sam, I felt immense pressure, but I knew I was the right person for this job.  I felt great being a captain, as I love taking on new experiences and responsibilities for a team that I played four years with. Although this year was not the best year for the team, I feel that I have always tried to lift the team, and hopefully, the team was able to see that. 

Yuki: How does it feel to be an all-tournament player?

Alex: Amazing. This was my first time being selected as an all-tournament player, and this couldn’t have been a better timing. It’s my last year as a player on the soccer team, and what better way to say goodbye than an all-tournament team selection? 

Yuki: Thank you very much, Alex. Good luck in college.