Three Dallas Texans show what loyalty is

Loyalty is not an adjective typically associated with the modern era of youth soccer. Long gone are the days where players formed teams in their neighborhoods and stayed with those teams through high school. In the most competitive youth soccer arenas, players switch teams more often than in the past. On the hunt for greener pastures and clubs with more "prestige", believing that only the most highly ranked teams can provide a path to their college soccer dreams, the vast majority of clubs experience a fairly high degree of turnover. A handful of clubs are able to attract top talent as young players and retain them all the way through college, but those clubs are the exception, and not the rule.   Finding elite players who have remained with the same teams through thick and thin, through winning seasons and bumps in the road, is relatively rare. The Dallas Texans 2007 ECNL team serves as a case study in loyalty. In fact, they are the only 07 team in the ECNL Texas conference to not lose a single starter. Three players in particular stand out as examples of dancing with the one who brought you and still winding up as the belles of the ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='26538' first='Bailey' last='Cate'], Forward, Class of 2025   Cate, a fast and strong forward who is a great finisher and thrives when pressing high, weeded through a sea of NCAA Division I offers to verbally commit just this week to Texas A&M, her dream school since before she could tie her own cleats. Cate has chosen to remain loyal to the Dallas Texans, and Cate explains her thought process by articulating that she knew there was a plan for her, despite coming all the way from Lubbock.   "The Texans have treated me well and were willing to give me the opportunity to play at the highest level, despite the fact I live in Lubbock and am not consistently training with the team during the week," Cate said. "As I got older, and started getting more attention, other clubs were suddenly very interested in bringing me over, but I really appreciate that the Texans have always believed in me, and this team feels like home. I am very proud that when it is finally time to take off my red Texans jersey, I'll be swapping it out for maroon."      [player_tooltip player_id='27206' first='Ryan' last='Fogel'], Central Defender, Class of 2026   Fogel, a center back who is strong and physical, as well as being skilled and technical, joined the Texans in the second grade. She has been a consistent part of the team's core since she was seven years old, boasting many tournament championships, including the Jefferson Cup, Dallas International Girls Cup and ECNL Showcase first place finishes. Fogel has proven herself to be a top tier defender in the state, as she is a three-star recruit, considered a top 40 player in the state for the Class of 2026 and one of the top defenders of her class, and was also a Division I State high school champ. She never considered a move. Heading into her sophomore year, she is already garnering interest from a number of schools.   “Loyalty is really important to me, and I love the coaches and the girls I play with," Fogel said. "I have never been wrapped up in where my team is ranked. I am more concerned with my personal development year over year and playing for coaches I trust and respect. I get to play against some of the top forwards in the country through the ECNL, which is exactly what you want as a defender. I have to be more proactive in my recruiting process than players from a Top 10 team in the nation, but I am more than willing to do the work."   [player_tooltip player_id='26667' first='Ellis' last='Kuntz'], Midfielder, Class of 2025   Kuntz, a midfielder who is crafty, shows great speed to close down on her opponents and displays a high work rate, is a co-captain and has been a member of the Texans since early on in elementary school. She is a three-star recruit and is a top 40 recruit in the state for her class and a top ten midfielder. She's also a two-time ECNL Texas Conference honoree who is garnering attention at the college level. She has not made a decision as she is taking her time.   "I'm open to a lot of different options for college," Kuntz said. "I want to take my time and make sure I am picking the right program for me. I feel very well prepared to play at the next level because of the excellent training I have gotten at the Dallas Texans. I have never wanted to leave this team because I love my teammates and coaches and believe that I have everything I need right here to succeed at the next level.”    Loyalty to the Texans program is being rewarded as it seems like the Dallas Texans 07 team has the right recipe to keep top players like Cate, Fogel and Kuntz committed to the program and to attract high level talent from other ECNL programs, such as defender Ellie Teachout, a third-year player and midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='26832' first='Jordan' last='Clig'] who returned to the Texans this year.   The stability of the team's core has also drawn talent from within the Dallas Texans program, including midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='86006' first='Monica' last='Morales'] and Keeper [player_tooltip player_id='26928' first='Kinsey' last='Fulks'] who are both 2007's player coming from the 06 Texans ECNL team, and defender [player_tooltip player_id='89070' first='Caroline' last='Smith'] who is another long time Texans player who came through the ECNL-RL pathway to the ECNL team two years ago. While loyalty may feel like a gamble to some, it seems like remaining steadfast will pay off for these girls and their talented teammates.

Loyalty is not an adjective typically associated with the modern era of youth soccer. Long gone are the days where players formed teams in their neighborhoods and stayed with those teams through high school. In the most competitive youth soccer arenas, players switch teams more often than in the past. On the hunt for greener pastures and clubs with more "prestige", believing that only the most highly ranked teams can provide a path to their college soccer dreams, the vast majority of clubs experience a fairly high degree of turnover. A handful of clubs are able to attract top talent as young players and retain them all the way through college, but those clubs are the exception, and not the rule.