Through Trevor Carlton's junior year at Ozark, the goalkeeper wasn't exactly feeling love from the community in general for the Tigers' soccer program.
"No one really likes us at Ozark," Carlton said in the pre-season this past sumemr. "Soccer is the one (sport) they kind of put behind the door, I don't really know why because we've been doing great."
With Ozark having captured a COC championship and a berth in Saturday's Class 4 District 5 championship match with Kickapoo, Carlton is happily singing a different tune.
He and his Ozark teammates were mobbed by their classmates after the Tigers beat Nixa 2-1 Wednesday in a District semifinal.
"Since our football team lost to Nixa twice and they are seeing that we are the last fall sport going, the students are like, 'Hey, soccer is actually really good,'" Carlton said. "My sophomore year there was hardly anybody in the stands. But this year, the Nixa game at home was the biggest turnout we've ever had. Since then, people in the hallways have said, 'Hey, good luck.'
"All we had to was ask they began to show up," Carlton added.
Defender Phin Scott is also enjoying the new soccer fans the Tigers are creating,
"It takes a lot of us to get the kids to come out. I feel like each time they come out, we don't disappoint them," Scott said. "I think that's going to bring them back. The kids are talking highly of us. Soccer is going to be a new big thing for Ozark."
Coach Zack Owens is also motivated to continue making soccer more popular at Ozark.
"We have worked our tails off to push it forward in a positive way, get it branded and get it out there and invite people out," Owens said. "We want to do everything we can and use youth development to make soccer a big name at Ozark. The community has been very well-receiving (of us). We've got to continue to play well and (the sport) will continue to thrive."
