News Detail (Connections)

photo courtesy of jshfoto
photo courtesy of jshfoto
photo courtesy of jshfoto

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Team First

1/11/2023

By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement

With trademark unselfish play, Colin Flood ’23 leads Titan Soccer to historic highs

Catchy names of great players have always had a place in the pantheon of soccer. This year’s 2022 World Cup showcased skills on the highest level on a global scale, with Messi, Mbappé, Neymar, and others becoming one-name elements of the lexicon. On a more local level, there was a player in VISAA this fall with a similarly catchy name and similarly flashy play: Flood.

All season long, Trinity’s Morning Meeting announcements were peppered with metaphoric updates on the “flood of goals” coming from senior Colin Flood ’23. One major difference, though, with Flood is that he is far more humble than his global counterparts. His primary impetus as a player is putting his team first, and the results that this mindset brought to the Titans resulted in an historic season for the team and for the mild-mannered Flood, who has been a force in VISAA soccer since his freshman year.

A HISTORIC SEASON

After two previous trips to the state quarterfinals (not to mention the frustration of a pandemic-shortened 2020 season), Flood and his fellow seniors in the Class of 2023 were highly motivated coming into their senior season. The combination of new and returning talent — spurred on by the overarching goal of winning a state championship — pushed the group to work harder than they ever had in the offseason. “We knew we had the heart but needed to improve technical skills,” says Flood. “We were up at the field [at Trinity] most days of the summer.”

The payoff was evident early in the season. Taking the title at the Woodberry Forest Invitational Tournament, the championship match against the home team foreshadowed a postseason re-match that would go down in Titan sports history. In the state quarterfinals — following regulation, overtime and a five-round penalty shoot-out — the Titans claimed the victory to move into the semifinals (some fans haven’t recovered from the stress of the shoot-out!). The team’s historic run led all the way to the VISAA state finals at City Stadium, where they ultimately were narrowly defeated by St. Christopher’s in the championship.

The team’s momentum continued, led largely by Flood’s gritty play up front, either scoring or creating goals. He fought through double and triple-teams, as opponents keyed on him. Says Phillips, “At times he resembled a Christmas tree with defenders hanging off of him like ornaments, and yet he would not react and always remained calm.” He finished the season with 23 goals and 12 assists, and a total of 58 points.

As the historic season unfolded, Flood was mindful of enjoying every moment and taking nothing for granted. “I enjoyed each day and realized you can’t coast through things,” he says. “You have to appreciate what you have because it could be gone instantly.” Flood especially loved the camaraderie with teammates, some of whom he has played with since elementary and middle school, and the support of the Trinity community. “The atmosphere at games was incredible. It was students but also parents, teachers, administrators, alumni. Everyone wanted to see us succeed and they came out all season in support.”

ONCE IN A GENERATION

Flood’s ability to be an in-game technician and to develop the players around him makes him special in a way that longtime boys varsity soccer coach Brian Phillips calls “once in a generation.” That’s quite a statement coming from the twenty-six year veteran coach who has seen his fair share of talented players.

As a leader, Flood led by example and acted as a complimentary captain to his more fiery co-captains, Davis Guise ’23 and Charlie Kemp ’23. Phillips appreciated Flood’s consistent style, his sameness each day that gave the younger players a clear expectation of what to expect and the standard toward which to strive. “No one ever had to wonder what to expect each day; you knew it would be his best and he would be there for his teammates,” remarked Phillips. “He has been a joy to work with since his freshman year. To be as good as he is and as impactful and to have the personality to see everything through and not be changed by success is remarkable.”

Rick Hamlin ’96, former soccer player, longtime Trinity coach, and current commentator for TESPN, Trinity’s student-run sports media channel, enjoyed a unique perspective while watching Flood throughout the past four years, particularly during TESPN broadcasts throughout this fall. “Colin is an incredibly unselfish player,” says Hamlin. “He constantly looks to involve teammates even though he is capable of putting the team on his back single handedly. He always tries to share the ball, share the credit.”

About Flood’s development as a player, Hamlin notes his improvement each year, becoming more of a playmaker than simply just a scorer. “His ninth grade year he was a finisher, by his senior year, he was a creator and a finisher,” says Hamlin. “His play mimicked his leadership off the field in bringing other players along. His commitment to his team and his own development is unmatched. In the twenty years I have been coaching here, there has not been a better player.”

His contributions to the community go beyond the soccer field and include leadership off of the field. He is a senior class Student Government representative and is co-president of the Indoor Sports and Games club as well as an officer in the Mathletes. He is also on the Junior Board of FC Richmond, his longtime soccer club. He is a member of the varsity swim team and plans to play Trinity tennis in the spring. “I wanted to be a part of the leadership and to work more closely with our teachers and bring ideas to these communities,” says Flood. “Trinity is such a supportive place and teachers and students are excited to work together to make things happen.”

Flood also credits former teammates Andrew Arnold ’20 as a major influence and mentor, as well as Coach Phillips, who taught the team about composure, sportsmanship, and how to conduct yourself every day. He is so appreciative of his parents’ support through the years of soccer, coming to everything and working hard behind the scenes to support him in all that he and his siblings do.

NO REGRETS

Flood’s perspective and appreciation for every moment are indicative of his character and what truly makes him such a special player: he has all of the skill and technical elements, but it is his heart and his love of team and the game that truly set him apart. Having made the choice to play high school soccer and not to pursue the academy route, Flood has no regrets.

“I am 100% happy with my choices and my experience,” says Flood. “We made it to states every year and won [at least] our first round game. This year was incredible, and with the exception of winning the title, we did everything we set out to do as freshmen. Getting to experience the atmosphere, putting in the hard work, seeing the payoff, and being with the team was everything I had hoped for in the high school experience.”

For a player who came in with a high profile and immense potential, Flood can feel gratified that he has more than exceeded expectations and left a legacy that will remain for generations of future Titan soccer athletes.

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About “Connections”

Connections is a regular online column, written from the first-person perspective of Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement:

In this space, I have the privilege of sharing stories of Trinity students, alumni, and faculty and staff who are carrying our mission beyond the boundaries of campus. Many of these stories might not make the headlines, but they will illustrate how every member of the Trinity community has a unique path to discover, and the ability to make an impact on both the Trinity community and the world beyond.

I am fortunate to have been a part of this community since my own adolescence. I have been a student, a teacher, a coach, and an administrator, and in these roles I have witnessed the school’s growth and evolution through the years. We have grown in size as well as spirit.

Stories here will capture how seeds planted at Trinity have taken root and flourished into full-grown passions. You’ll also read stories of those in our community who bring their gifts from outside to help us learn. At Trinity, we seek to develop lifelong learners, and stories here will illustrate real-life examples of that beautiful symbiosis.