It’s not very often a team loses its co-captains to injuries, let alone, a team filled with three captains all getting benched for this reason. For Hollis Brookline Varsity boys’ soccer, the scenario just happened to be that unfortunate. Jonathan Brackett ’18 , Sam Hall ‘17  and Ryan Olson ’18, all captains of the team, were sidelined because of injuries.

Soccer can do serious damage to the lower body, resulting in nagging pains throughout the whole season. This has been the case for Ryan Olson ‘18, as he has inflammation in his knee and strained muscles in his leg. Olson is a key part of the team and without him, the team was in trouble. Olson missed three games during the month of September with his injury, and in those games, opponents netted more than 10 goals against Hollis Brookline. With the season on the line, Olson came back from his injury and helped to stop the bleeding. With a 1-0 loss to Bow, HB had a shot at turning things around. Now all that was needed was offense. But their offense comes from captains Brackett and Hall who happened to still be injured

Brackett had a serious injury in which he broke his toe in the first pre-season game. This injury left Brackett devastated, as he was ruled out of match play for a minimum of six games.

Hall, a key senior who knows how to win for HB, was sidelined early in the season due to a sprained ankle. His injury was almost as bad as Brackett’s but he ended up only missing four games.

The day before Brackett returned to full strength, everyone was finally back on the field at mandatory practice. At the practice, intensity picked up.

“This is where our season will shift boys, and we need to focus up,” Brackett said to the team. “We need to start practicing like we play and pick up some much needed wins.”

Post practice, a pasta party was held to form good chemistry with each other now that the team was finally whole again. This all happened on Monday September 12th, the night before a big game against Trinity.

The next day, HB won the game against Trinity 2-1. This was a true turning point in the season. Two days later, Hollis Brookline won again against Pelham. HB was finally on a roll thanks to experience and help from the captains who know the system, and how to win.

After the Pelham win, Hall was asked about the possibility of a playoff push. “Yes we can still make a playoff push,” said Hall. “We have shown the ability to work together and make a run as a strong team. We have to stay healthy and things will continue in the right direction.”
Since the three captains have returned HB has won two of three games, a true statement towards the rest of the league. Hollis Brookline picks up action Tuesday, September 27th against a tough Bow team who they lost to earlier in the season without Brackett and Hall.