David, Chris, and Johnny were the three original captains and leaders of the first William Byrd Junior High Soccer team. As I had mentioned in one of my earlier blogs, Byrd Junior High was one of the five original junior highs in the new soccer league from '85 to the establishment of middle schools beginning in fall of '91 when middle schools had sixth through eighth grades...while junior highs carried seventh through ninth grades. These three leaders were the soccer team's first captains as they led the new team both offensively and defensively.

Chris was previously mentioned in an earlier blog for receiving a red card in a crucially tight game when Byrd had to play "one man down." The bright spot was William Byrd still won that game, and as it turned out over my twenty years, Chris's red card was the first and only red card any of my players ever received....!

Johnny led the team this first year in scoring and played hard and intensely as an offensive player. The third captain, David, was the only player whose son I mentioned in a blog who lost his eye....missed his first year....and played his eighth year successfully. David was a good quiet leader who led by example, and I'm sure he probably missed following his son in high school soccer.

To have David, Chris, and Johnny as my first captains in my first year as soccer coach is a joy to be led by such skilled...intense....respected young men.....and.....David's son to play for me as a representative of the first year's player having his son on one of my last soccer teams..!!