Requirements are excessive for the Alabama Crimson Tide soccer program. For many groups, simply reaching the nationwide championship can be thought of an enormous success — however that’s definitely not the case in Tuscaloosa.
Final season, Alabama made all of it the way in which to the nationwide title sport earlier than falling to SEC rival Georgia. Regardless of the loss, Alabama didn’t stroll away empty-handed. The Crimson Tide acquired a trophy for his or her efforts within the School Soccer Playoff, however offensive lineman Emil Ekiyor Jr. says it solely serves as a reminder of what the group failed to perform.
In a latest press convention, Ekiyor stated the trophy is displayed within the group cafeteria. So far as he’s involved, that piece of {hardware} is nothing greater than a “participation trophy.”
“It is type of arduous to show the web page, you understand?” Ekiyor stated. “Clearly, it was a tricky loss. Labored all yr to attain that purpose. In a method, we nonetheless have not turned the web page as a result of it is at all times at the back of our minds. I imply, in our cafeteria we acquired the participation trophy from the cafeteria simply sitting there. It is a participation trophy. You made it, however you did not do something. You did not win. I would not say we absolutely turned the web page. There’s at all times one thing externally that motivates us, however that is all I acquired to say.”
The group has been extra type to this trophy in comparison with the one it acquired when misplaced within the nationwide championship sport just a few years in the past. A yr after Alabama’s nationwide title loss to Clemson on the finish of the 2016 season, then-strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran demolished it in entrance of the gamers.
The annual expectations at Alabama are a championship, and even in a season by which his program received the SEC and went to the title sport, Saban stated 2021 was a “rebuilding yr” for this system. If that was a rebuilding yr, that’s unhealthy information for the remainder of faculty soccer.
Going into 2022, Alabama is as soon as once more the nationwide championship favourite, however that does not imply the roster is with none questions. CBS Sports activities’ Barrett Sallee lately broke down just a few areas that the Crimson Tide nonetheless have to shore up with the intention to end the job this fall.