The Southeast Polk boys soccer team is enjoying a season that ranks among the best in more than a decade, posting a 10‑3‑4 record and a goal total that places them near the top of the Central Iowa Metropolitan League.
Guiding the Rams is Coach Jacob Lucy, a 2005 graduate of the school who returned in 2022 after stints at Simpson College and other programs, bringing a five‑year plan that prioritizes culture and personal growth over early wins.
A Culture Built to Last
Lucy’s approach emphasizes selflessness, encouraging players to view the sport as a shared responsibility and to contribute to the community as much as they do on the field.
The team is set to meet Ankeny in a substate semifinal on May 27, a game that could finally deliver the first state‑tournament appearance in school history for a program that has never advanced past the CIML semifinals.
Beyond the scoreboard, Lucy says the greatest reward lies in watching youngsters develop a genuine love for the sport and become positive forces in their neighborhoods, a reward he believes will endure long after any trophy is lifted.
Senior leaders such as Cole Skinner, who has supplied 21 goals and eight assists, embody the self‑less ethos Lucy promotes, turning practice drills into a collective purpose that has reshaped the program’s identity.