WACO, Texas — The China Spring Lady Cougar soccer team won their first playoff game in five years and were able to walk away with the golden ball.
"I wasn't here all four years. I moved here in my sophomore year and I have been training hard with my team building and the fact that we made it this far is life changing," senior Raelynn Smith said.
"We called it the first round curse and to break the first round curse, it was just amazing for these girls. They've earned it. They worked really hard this year," head coach Valerie Smith said.
The Lady Cougars are led by head coach Valerie Smith, who is currently in her second season and she's already making an impact on the program.
"She's changed it a lot. She came in and we came into a new district. So that was really difficult to go into a new district with a new coach, but she's really improved us and I'm so glad we have her," senior Reece Bauman said.
"I grew up with her as my coach my whole life as she is my mother," Raelynn Smith said. "It's all about discipline and having to communicate with each other and with the team. It's hard because she is my mother. She gets on me the most," Smith said.
Winning a playoff game is no easy task and the team knows why this squad was the one to finally break the first round curse.
"I feel like we're really close this year. We were all really good friends and we all want to push each other and yeah, it's just fun to be out here," Bauman said.
"It hasn't been this close together since I've been here and the fact that we have become together more as a team and as people is just amazing," Smith said.
China Spring advances to the area round and look to build off of their success.
