ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Every coach's dream is to have a team that is close—a team that has a bond not only with their coaches, but each other. A team with strong relationships on the field or court. A team that feels like family.
But the Alleman Girls Soccer team is even closer than you might think.
There are four sets of sisters that play on the varsity squad. 15 of the 25 players listed on the varsity roster are related to at least one other player on the team. Throw in a couple more relatives of father/daughter duos between the team and the coaching staff, and it's as close to a family as you can get.
"Fortunately, they're coming into the program with a pretty strong relationship as families," Head Coach Randy Bollman said. "And so, it does translate out on the field. Some of our players both don't play varsity, the sisters, but it's interesting because they'll help their younger sibling out, you know, trying to get better so potentially they could be varsity some day."
Although the team chemistry is off the charts, it wasn't always like that at first. Having that many relatives on one team had its growing pains.
"We did not get along at all before," junior Emma Kramer said.
"Before soccer we used to fight a lot," her older sister Eliza Kramer said. "But like now, we're like best friends. We do everything together."
And the Kramers aren't the only two with that situation.
"We had that bickering phase a little bit, where it's like the teenage years or whatever," senior Mackenzie Burkett said. "But we started playing on the same team and stuff and we got really close now. I consider her my best friend. I don't know if she's the same way."
"Yes I do," Mackenzie's little sister, Alexis Burkett said.
With the pairs of sisters playing the same sport together, there are plenty of moments of inspiration and affection. The older ones becoming role models for the younger ones. The younger ones making the older ones proud. Lots of the sisters said those moments are some of their favorite memories of playing soccer with their sister.
"I remember when I was little, just whenever I play, I'd always look over and look to see if Kenzie was there watching," Alexis said. "Like that was always, it helped motivate me. And then now playing on the team. I remember the first game I got a goal. And the first person who came over to me was Kenzie, and she gave me a big hug."
"That's also one of my favorite ones, it was a proud little younger sister moment," Mackenzie said.
"It's actually last year, when we were taking PK's to go to the state final," Eliza said. "And [Emma] was crying during mine because she was nervous for me. And it like, warmed my heart that she cared about me. Because I was really nervous. And then she was like crying for me."
It goes outside the sport of soccer for one pair of siblings. Senior Clair Hulke and sophomore Megan Hulke play volleyball, basketball and soccer together.
"Yeah I think, it's kinda obviously ups and downs," Clair said. "Little arguments here and there. Definitely spending a lot of time with each other. A lot of car rides and stuff. It' been really good to kind of have that throughout high school."
Playing those sports together has allowed them to become closer to one another.
The concept is the same with the Alleman soccer team as a whole. While it helps the siblings bond with each other, it also heavily impacts the bond of the team itself.
"I do think that's definitely helped us in our bond a lot better, as well as the other girls on the team," senior Emma Shrake said. "I mean, for a team it might be hard to bond with each other, but I mean for us it's all so easy because we're all sisters or related."
Some Alleman players say they feel that connection with their sister on the field, to the point where they know where she will be at while they are playing. Eliza described it as having a "special sense" with her little sister. The Kramers acknowledged how much that bond helps with each other and how it impacts the team.
Being as close as this group of Pioneers are brings more than just better playing but lots of memories to go with it, especially while growing up.
"When I was little, I always used to make her play goalkeeper on me," Emma said about her little sister Lily. "So I would always just fire shots at her and sometimes they wouldn't go on the goal but right to the face or face or stomach. So probably that."
The Kramers said a big memory for them was their father, who influenced their love for soccer.
"We were younger and one day like, I was like, three, she was like two and he just set up like one of those little goals outside and he was teaching us how to kick the ball," Eliza said. "There's this little pink ball. And yeah, he and then he coached us and rec and like, he like started our love for soccer."
Coach Bollman had a similar impact on his daughter, Emily Bollman.
Emily is the coach of the junior varsity girls soccer team at Alleman. Emily grew up playing for her dad who always coached her, sparking her love for soccer.
"I think with him being around me all the time, and after games, and after training sessions, being able to being able to have the not necessarily criticism, but the critiques and the help after training session, especially when I was younger and growing up learning the game," Emily said. "It was nice to have that and just have that joy for soccer around as well."
It meant just as much to her dad.
"it's been a good experience all the way through," Randy said. "And my ultimate goal with every player that I coach is that they stay and do something with soccer when they're done playing at a competitive level. So it's rewarding to see my daughter continue to continue that."
The ties clearly run deep for this family of Alleman soccer players, but they wouldn't have it any other way.
"It's like a family reunion every time we step out on the pitch together," Randy said. "So you know, they get along, and then they have a little fights even on the soccer field, which is kind of funny to see. But you know, it just brings it together. I think most coaches want their teams to be a family."
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