How a Purcell student's petition led to soccer programs

PURCELL — Carrying a page full of classmates’ signatures, Ethan Velasco knew where to go.

Most high school students try to avoid a trip to the principal’s office, but for a month, Velasco chose to make it part of his daily routine. His petition was gaining traction among his peers, and he wanted to update Purcell High School principal Jason Sanders on their efforts.

Velasco, then a freshman who moved from Baldwin Park, California, was trying to start a soccer program.

“Moving here to Oklahoma and finding out that in Purcell we didn’t have soccer, I didn’t like the fact because I love that sport so much,” Velasco said. “As soon as I entered freshman year, I wanted to make it possible for me to at least play.”

After staying persistent through three school years, Velasco has his wish. He dons a red-and-white Dragons uniform as a senior starting midfielder. In March, Velasco scored on the way to Purcell’s first program win, an 8-1 triumph over Cordell.

Every time the ball hits the back of the net, it’s a mark of progress.

Purcell, about 35 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, launched its Class 3A boys and girls soccer teams this season.

The Dragons have weathered injuries and mercy-rule losses, but they’re pushing through the tough days with a long-term goal in mind. Sanders said he has spoken to both teams, reminding these student leaders of the foundation they’re building. Purcell’s fledgling soccer programs fill a gap, invigorating a town that had widespread love for the sport but no school-based outlet for engaging with it.

“Kids love to play it,” Sanders said. “With the World Cup coming to North America in two years, I think the popularity of soccer is only going to grow.”

Purcell is part of that movement.

Rosters took shape quickly with 28 students on the boys team and 23 on the girls team. Many are participating in athletics for the first time. There’s talk of creating feeder teams so kids can gain soccer experience before high school.

The varsity squads are still finding their footing, but every program has to start somewhere.

‘There’s been an interest’

Andrea Kulessa has noticed a theme while driving through Purcell.

Maybe she’s passing a grassy field. Perhaps she’s near the high school.

Wherever she goes, it’s common to see kids casually kicking a soccer ball.

“You can tell that there’s been an interest there,” said Kulessa, Purcell’s girls soccer coach.

The prominence of a globally popular sport reflects the town’s blend of cultural backgrounds.

As of July 1, 2022, Purcell had an estimated population of 6,762, according to the United States Census Bureau. The census data shows 16.7% of Purcell residents are Hispanic or Latino.

At a high school soccer match, Spanish and English conversations carry across the bleachers. Although the sport is new at the school, several Latino students grew up watching and admiring international soccer superstars.

Velasco wears No. 10 as a tribute to Lionel Messi, the Argentine forward known simply by his surname.

After moving to Purcell as an eighth grader, Velasco bonded with fellow fans of the game. But when he learned about the sports offered through school, he realized he wasn’t near Los Angeles anymore.

He saw football. He saw baseball. Where was soccer?

As a freshman, Velasco took initiative. He tore a piece of paper from his notebook and gathered signatures from students advocating for a program.

Velasco’s enterprising ways made an impression on then-new principal Jason Sanders.

“It really resonated with me just because Ethan’s a great kid,” Sanders said, “and it kind of spoke to a need in the community.”

Sanders knew something about bringing soccer to a rural Oklahoma high school. He had established the program at Bridge Creek, meeting his wife, then-assistant coach Kassie Byrd, in the process.

In Bridge Creek and Purcell, students fueled the efforts to organize teams, Sanders said. It took some time to pull everything together, but after Sanders took surveys and gained school board approval, Purcell introduced soccer for the 2023-24 school year.

“We just jumped in and got the program going,” Sanders said.

Dragon ball

First, the Dragons needed coaches.

Purcell contacted some nearby soccer clubs, and Diego DeLeon emerged as the top candidate to lead the boys team.

Purcell athletic director Ricky Hammer had connections to girls coach Kulessa, who went to Del City High School and played soccer at Rose State.

Kulessa works night shifts at St. Anthony Hospital as a behavioral therapist. DeLeon coaches with Sporting Oklahoma, an affiliate of Sporting Kansas City.

Outside those regular jobs, Purcell’s adjunct coaches have devoted themselves to teaching teenagers the fundamentals of soccer. Brynley Jennings, a junior softball star, is one of several students figuring out how soccer works.

“I’ve played softball my whole entire life, and I’ve never played another sport,” Jennings said. “(Soccer is) something new, and it’s really fun. It’s a change of pace.”

On the soccer field, everyone is constantly on the move.

Controlling the ball. Dribbling and passing. Keeping up with opponents.

The Dragons not only had to learn these skills as individuals, but also coordinate with their new teammates.

Sometimes, it has been messy. During the first practice, the players mostly “just ran,” Jennings said.

“Our first practice, we knew who had played and who didn’t,” said Noel Chavez, a junior captain on the boys team. “We did a bunch of cone drills and a bunch of dribbling, and you can tell, (based on) the technique and stuff.

“But now that we’re getting into the season, a lot of people’s technique is coming together. We’re starting to build this chemistry together as a team.”

Through grueling competition, the Dragons understand their roles as trailblazers.

‘Building a culture’

A trio of Purcell girls soccer players stood along the fence at Crossings Christian’s stadium and yelled.

Although they had just recorded a mercy-rule loss to the Knights, they tried to keep the energy up, rising from the bleachers to encourage the boys team.

Crossings thwomped the Dragons’ boys squad, too, with a mercy-rule win after halftime, and both Purcell teams had limited depth because of injuries.

Brutal losses are expected when a first-year program is facing athletes who have played organized soccer since their elementary years. Although the Dragons compete in the smallest classification of soccer, clashing with dynamos like Crossings and Crooked Oak isn’t easy.

“I think the hardest thing was just building confidence in the kids,” Sanders said. “Any time you start a brand-new program, there’s going to be some lumps along the way.”

Despite the lopsided defeats, the Dragons have proven they can win.

The girls team recorded its first victory April 12, rolling past Millwood, 3-0, on Senior Night. The boys team has two wins, not counting a preseason scrimmage against McLoud. After defeating Cordell, the boys squad squeezed out a 2-1 triumph over Atoka.

Each milestone is a source of hope for a program in its infancy. When describing the season, Velasco repeated the phrase “little by little.”

Every save matters. Every shot matters. Purcell is striving to create something sustainable.

“I think that’s building a culture because it’s not just this year,” DeLeon said. “It’s the expectations going forward after that.”

As a senior, Velasco finds bittersweetness in his role as a trendsetter. He said he’s sad he won’t be able to keep playing for Purcell after this season, but he’s grateful to see his dream springing to life.

If Velasco hadn’t made such a steady effort, then the soccer teams probably wouldn’t exist, Sanders said.

Every program has to start somewhere.

“I love it,” Velasco said. “Coming from California to here, I didn’t think that we would have the program. Now that I look back and look at the crowd and see everyone support us and myself, it makes me happy. For us, I think that just having the support helps the team. It shows us that no matter the loss or the win, that we’re always going to have support.”