“I love the game, and (I) want to keep playing after high school and into college,” Peeler said.

While Peeler enjoys soccer, he said there are other advantages to playing soccer.

“It’s a good way to keep in touch with friends,” Peeler said.

While playing soccer Peeler has made a few accomplishments. Peeler started varsity last season and went to nationals.

Even after making these accomplishments, Peeler still has some goals for this season.

“(I) hope to go to state (and) make first team in conference,” Peeler said.

Peeler has a few diets to keep in shape for soccer.

“(I) play (soccer) all year long,” Peeler said. “(I also) do sit ups every night.”

Peeler also practices outside of school whenever he gets the chance.

Math teacher and soccer coach Josh Griffith considers Peeler like a member of his family.

“Tyler is a member of my soccer team, and like any member of my team, I consider him a part of my family,” Griffith said.

When it comes to Peeler’s determination in soccer, Griffith said Peeler is extremely determined.

“Any day that bowling is meeting later (he goes to conditioning),” Griffith said. “Once the season starts, he’s at every practice.”

While Griffith expects Peeler to make varsity, he said it’s not a guarantee that

he will.

Junior Alhassan Darboh has known Peeler for five years, and said is close

friends with Peeler. Darboh said that Peeler goes to conditioning and practices every day.

Darboh and Griffith both agree that Peeler goes to the open gyms as often as he is able.

hillary olson photo

Math teacher Josh Griffith has been a soccer coach at Hoover for six years, and this is second year as head coach. He said that over the years, he has created a family-like bond with each one of his players.

“The players on my team know that I think of them as a part of my family,” Griffith said.

Griffith spends quality time with his players on and off of the field.

“Sometimes during my plan period, I track one or two of them down to make sure that they’re doing what they’re supposed to do in the classroom,” Griffith said.

Griffith also gets to know his players on a personal level.

“We do all kinds of things just to get to know each other and have a good time outside of school,” Griffith said.

Griffith invites the boys to his house to play video games, and sometimes they have video game tournaments. He also said he goes out of his way to make sure that each of the boys have everything that they need to succeed.

“I have gotten several of them jobs that needed jobs to help out their families,” Griffith said.

Each player that he coaches has a special bond with Griffith.

“All of the boys know that I care about them,” Griffith said.

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Junior Tyler Peeler has known Griffith for about four years, and has been coached by him for three years.

“We have a good relationship,” Peeler said. “Sometimes I go to see him just to chill.”

Peeler thinks of Griffith as more than just a coach.

“He is younger so he relates to us. The way he acts is not like a coach,” Peeler said. “He’s like a friend too.”

Peeler feels that the team “really is like a family,” he says.

“During the season, we all hang out after practice,” Peeler said.

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Josh Griffith has coached junior Adis Mujic for two years, but Mujic has known him for four years.

“He helps me a lot,” Mujic said.

Mujic considers Griffith as not just a coach, but someone that he can talk to.

“He helps me with things,” Mujic said. “And we talk about things too.”

Mujic agrees that the soccer team is like a big family.

“We are all like his sons,” Mujic said.