The following story was written about four years after the events took place (~1995).
History
It all began one warm summer day in the second grade of Edgewood Elementary School. The first soccer practice held no foreshadowing of what was to come. We looked like a raggedy bunch of seven year olds. Our skills with the soccer ball were less than extraordinary. Up until this time, soccer was nothing but a modified kickball game.
The metamorphosis occurred slowly. We played our games against other teams in the town of Scarsdale. The first year was not very exciting. The players were still learning how to kick the ball. Dribbling was limited to the few players who could keep the ball in front of them. We were second graders. Our coach, Dr. Sack, taught us the fundamentals. Slowly we picked up the skills needed to play the game. Our first season was neither a great success nor a great failure.
The next year, several of us had gone to soccer camp and picked up some better skills. The team was growing together. But we still weren't that much fun to watch. It still looked like a raggedy bunch of eight year olds. Our competitive spirit grew though, and we never lost a game the entire year. Our trophies were about 5-6 inches tall. We received certificates and Edgewood Blue and White "E"s.
The next year, still more of us went to soccer camp. We played with players that were on the opposing teams. When we came back for soccer season in the fall, we knew the competition would be fiercer than last year. Our two greatest rivals, Quaker Ridge and Heathcote, were beginning to come into their own. But still this year, we succeeded in never losing a game for a league championship and lengthened our undefeated streak to two years. Our trophies were about 75% taller this time around. We received certificates and E's.
For the next three years, the Edgewood Eagles continued on their warpath to 3 more championships, and three more undefeated seasons. Before each game day, on Friday night, Dr. Sack would hold strategy sessions in the basement of his house. All players were required to attend. There we learned not only the basics of the game, but also the weaknesses and strengths of the opposing team that we would play the next day. To say that these sessions were invaluable would be an understatement. Not only did they increase the solidarity of the team, but they helped us play on the field. On one occasion, an angry mother (of the opposing team) called Dr. Sack and insisted that the strategy meeting should be skipped so that the team members could attend a party that night. Dr. Sack held the strategy meeting. This action led to further solidarity of the team. Some may say that this action is too harsh and something characteristic of an intercollegiate level team, not a pre-high school team.
But who won the game?
Trials and tribulations faced the team over the next few years as pivotal players were unable to play for either geographic or medical reasons. The opposing teams gained greater skill and proficiency at the game. The Edgewood Eagles arguably were not gifted with the greatest players. To combat these trials, the team pulled together and worked even harder to win games. Until the 8th grade, the team had never lost a game. By now our trophies were almost two feet tall, and were inscribed with "Undefeated Champions"
By now the team had developed other traditions. We started each game in a huddle. Dr. Sack would lead us in our cheer. "Who Are We?!" He would ask. "Edgewood Eagles!" we said. The first time was never loud enough. "Who Are We?" this time more interrogatively. "EDGEWOOD EAGLES" We'd scream in fury. "What are we?!", Dr. Sack asked again. We all knew the answer, "THE BEST!"
In the eighth grade, something happened that would later be called the "Great Anti-Eagle Conspiracy"
The Great Anti-Eagle Conspiracy
Our two greatest rivals, Quaker Ridge and Heathcote, performed the greatest scam to ever hit the Scarsdale Recreational Department.
Efforts were made by both teams to prevent their weaker players from participating in the soccer season. Because the weaker players would not participate, Quaker Ridge and Heathcote both had too few players to participate in the soccer season. When this happens, it is customary for the Recreation Department to join the deficient teams together and form a hybrid team with enough players to play. The Scarsdale Recreation Department (SRD) joined Quaker Ridge and Heathcote teams together, put them under the command of a coach (who shall hereafter be referred to as "Jack") and commenced the soccer season.
The team of this foul concoction was called by some, "Quaker Cotes" or "Quaker Oats" by combining "Quaker Ridge" and "Heathcote." Jack and the team members hoped that they would finally defeat the Edgewood Eagles, who had reigned over the soccer league for 5 years.
To their surprise, the goal they so sought would not be so easily attained.
To make a long story short, we defeated the "Quaker Cotes" in our first game, 4 - 1. We had proved that even though a team may surpass us in all-star players, they still lacked the team work and solidarity that led the Edgewood Eagles to championships in the past.
Perhaps we celebrated too soon though, for there were still two games that we would face them again. The next game was on their home turf. By a fluke accident, the "Quaker Cotes" scored a single goal against us. To those familiar with the incident, it was a sad moment. We were unable to reply against that goal because of the change in goalkeeping made by the other team.
It was our first loss. I felt like someone had died for about one week. Our 5 year undefeated streak had ended. There was no repair.
We turned that game into a learning experience. We realized that we played our best against them. We just needed to play better. Our attitude changed from sorrow to "we'll get them next time."
The Quaker Cotes were enthused with their win. They thought they could do it again. We begged to differ. The last game was on our home turf, Coulter Field, outside of Edgewood School.
The Quaker Cotes goal of taking the championship alone was thwarted when we tied them in the championship game. The Quaker Cotes arguable played the best game of their life. But we played harder. We were the champions for once and for all. The overall score of our games was 5-2.
A championship alone would have been sweeter, but our tie was essentially a victory. We made a statement, "Try as you might, the Edgewood Eagles will not step aside."
That was the last year of soccer in the Scarsdale Recreational League. We moved on to bigger and better things like Varsity soccer. Our old enemies became our teammates. Later on, everyone headed off in different directions to go to school and pursue careers. But if you ask them, "Who are we?", and "What are we?", they'll know how to respond.