2024 Boys Varsity
2024 Boys C Team
2024 Boys JV
10/17/24 Section 5AA Section Championship Match
Blake Boys Soccer vs Benilde St. Margarets
Head Coach: Tamba Johnson
Assistant Coach: Tony Andrade
Goalie Coach: David Shapiro
State Appearances
2001 – Class A State Participant
2007 – Class A State Runner- Up
2008 – Class A State Champion
2016 – Class A State 4th Place
2018 – Class A State Champion
2019 – Class A State Runner-Up
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Blake Boys Soccer is rich with tradition, and players, parents, and coaches in the program are passionate about continuing to leave behind a strong legacy. High levels of success have been accomplished by individuals and teams well beyond the mere number of goals scored and wins recorded. Record interest in playing soccer at Blake allows us to field five teams (Varsity, JV, C, and two Middle School squads), making us one of, if not the, largest sports program at Blake. That being said, we find the appropriate team for any boy who wants to play. We have worked hard to establish a sense of connectedness between all teams in the program. Interactions include shared community service, wellness workshops, team bonding events, and on the field activities.
Several coaches in the program teach or work at Blake and there is a shared emphasis of the boys who play being both committed athletes and students. Engaged and personable coaches employ dynamic and contemporary training methods, leading to high levels of skill development not only during the season, but also during summer training sessions and camps. Teams within the program are regularly praised for their possession style of play and willingness to work as a team.
The importance of being a team, on and off the field, is of utmost importance not only from a tactical perspective, but also in meeting goals of building lasting relationships. A recent player stated “being part of our team was the best part for me because we were truly a family,” while another teammate shared “I love the guys on the team and the coaches as people and I have never been pushed so hard to play for anyone but myself before this team.” Yet another boy said that he “really valued the opportunity to grow as a player and person and got to learn how to better take on leadership roles in the attempt to win.” Overall, individuals and teams value goal setting and work hard to realize those milestones. Some of our core values include sportsmanship, commitment, and using athletic experiences to learn important life lessons.
The boys are consistently considered a serious contender for the conference title in the most competitive Class A conference in the state, the IMAC. Blake has advanced to the State Tournament several times in recent seasons, with its most recent appearance being in 2019 (Runner-Up) and 2018 (Champions). The Bears claimed the Class A State 4th place title in 2016, won the Championship in 2008 and finished as runner-up in 2007. We regularly produce several college players each year, some of which are currently playing at St. Olaf, Colby, and Bethel. We are very proud of what Blake Boys Soccer stands for and coaches and players come back each season eager to accomplish bigger and better things.
