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LAKELAND, Fla. — With numerous state championships to brag about, Polk County is known for its football.
A group of 12- and 13-year-olds, though, want the county to be also known for something else: soccer.
Pigskin football may rule the Sunshine State, but the members of the Lakeland Swan City 2011 Boys Elite team want others to fall in love with soccer as much as they have.
“Exposure’s getting bigger and bigger in this country,” head coach Corey Mills said. “With the World Cup coming up as well, that will help. But I do see a passion and drive for this sport from these boys and that makes me really happy to see.”
This group is led by Mills, a New Zealand native, who honed his soccer skills after he arrived in the states at Florida Southern, and he stuck around Polk County to help young players reach their full potential on the pitch. This year, his team took a huge step when they qualified for nationals after winning their division, which included teams from Florida and Georgia.
“What makes this team really, really special is individually, these players want to play at the highest heights,” Mills said. “They have aspirations to play at the highest level.”
Players like Leeland Padgett dream of playing in college, and even professionally. That dream began early when he first started playing soccer at the age of 4. Padgett said he knows the work he is putting in on the field now could help make his dream come true.
“I just grew up playing it,” Padgett said. “So I have a love for it, and I have dreams for going pro in soccer.”
In their final practice before nationals, the Swan City team played an older age group in the hopes that playing a team more experienced would help them prepare for some of the toughest competition they’ve ever faced.
“We’ve had dedication the whole year, in just, like, showing up to practice,” Padgett said. “It takes hard work. And this was our dream from the start of the year.”
“Collectively, they help each other, they challenge each other daily and they’re really, really competitive,” Mills said. “But at the same time, they want to help each other succeed together.”
