Peglegs Lace Up for Upcoming Season

The end of summer means the beginning of a new season for Stuyvesant’s boys’ soccer team, the Peglegs. Each year, boys from all grades attend tryouts in the hopes of earning a spot on the coveted team, which competes in the PSAL Manhattan A1 division.

At the end of last year’s soccer season, the Peglegs were ranked third in their division, with a record of eight wins to four losses. The team was the 21st seed in the playoffs, and the Peglegs played their first playoff game against the 12th seed, Staten Island Tech (SIT). Unfortunately, their playoff run was ended by a 4-0 loss to SIT.

Though the team lost six important seniors this year, it still has a strong starting lineup, composed of many returning players alongside some younger faces. “I've played with some of the players for four years now, and I know exactly how to play with them,” senior and co-captain Michael Gillow said.

The team has prioritized specific skills for the coming year. “We need to improve on keeping the ball once we get out of our half and our offense in general. We tend to get a bit sloppy in the final third of the field, but I'm confident we can solidify this by the beginning of the season,” senior and co-captain Caleb Smith-Salzburg said.

Gillow agreed, reflecting on improvements that can be made from prior years and their playing. “I think the most improvement is needed on offense and possession of the ball in particular,” Gillow said. “In recent years, our offense has struggled at times to score, but I think we've learned as [a] unit what works and what doesn't going forward.”

The team’s first game this year is against Julia Richman Education Complex (JREC) on September 10. Last year, the team fared well against JREC, winning both of the season meets. The Peglegs have learned from their weaknesses last year, becoming more comfortable as a team and working toward a better playoff outcome.