HISTORY OF THE JCFC 2008 BOYS TEAM

Johnson City Futbol Club was established in the Spring of 2015 to provide soccer players in the Johnson City area with the opportunity to compete at a high level and train close to home. The earliest members of the 2008 Boys team started practicing and playing with a combined 2007/2008 team playing 7v7. Coach Neal Lewis, Coach Eddie Teague, and Team Manager Heather Lewis started with the boys during this first season. In the Fall 2015, the 2008 Boys – Black team was formally established as a separate team with a core group of 9 players, including one 2009. Over the next two years, the boys added players from throughout the region resulting in the formation of two teams - 2008 Boys Black and Sky teams. Both teams played in leagues and tournaments throughout the region.

Club soccer has two seasons a year from late July through late November and early March through late May. During the season, Coach Neal and Coach Eddie led practices two to three times a week with games or tournaments on the weekends. Offseason, the coaches led small sided futsal games or coached the players in the indoor soccer season. Both coaches have spent countless hours of their time working with these young players.

Over the years the team has succeeded on and off the field. At this point, most of the players ocus on soccer, but they have also competed and excelled in baseball, football, basketball, track and field, cross country, wrestling, competitive band, and drama. The team excels academically as well, with many players on the honor roll and taking Advanced Placement classes. Players have been core members of the Liberty Bell and Indian Trail middle school championship soccer teams. The team has been a source of players for high schools throughout the region with players competing on the Elizabethton High School, Dobyns Bennett High School, University High School, and Science Hill High School teams.

The JCFC 2008 Boys Black soccer team has had excellent success in the Tennessee State Soccer League. In the Spring 2022 season, the team placed second in their region and advanced to the finals. In the Fall 2022 season, the team placed second in the region, but was knocked out in the first round of the tournament.

The Fall 2023 Tennessee State Soccer League season has been the most successful for the team. Nineteen boys played on the team that ultimately hoisted the U16 Division 2 State Cup. The team warmed up their season with a tournament win in Asheville. Their State Cup season started with adversity, losing 0-1 in their opening game. They recovered for a close win in their second game, but suffered another loss in their third game. With two losses, the team needed to win out their remaining games for a chance to make the tournament. They succeeded winning their remaining five games, scoring twenty goals only conceding three. They had the joint top scorers in the division with Junior Serrano and Drake Teague scoring eight goals each.

The Fall 2023 tournament opened with a 3-1 overtime victory against the team that defeated them at the start of the state league season. The second game of the tournament remained tied 2-2 after overtime and the JCFC 08 Boys Black team won the shootout 4-2 with two saves by Griffin Lewis. The final match was 1-1 in regular time and the team won 3-1 with two overtime goals by Yasin Elkassaby, assisted by Brayden Harris and Connor Blevins. The team is headed to the USYS Southern Presidents Cup in June in Plano, Texas.