Under the lights of the Michigan State soccer stadium in 2022, FHC gained yet another state championship title.

Defeating the four-time state champions, Bloomfield Hills, the Varsity Girl’s Soccer Team went home with new hardware and a well-earned title to the name of the organization. Center back Abby Busch, now a senior, is one of the few able to call herself a state champ with the decorated team.

“[The State Champion game] was my first year playing soccer for RGSO, and we went to Michigan State to play that game,” said Abby, who was a sophomore when the achievement occurred. “We took a giant charter bus there, and before the game, we just kind of hung out and got warmed up. But then, playing the game and winning was so awesome.” 

A soccer player from the age of five, Abby is excited to return to the Ranger soccer community for her third year. It is an environment she has found to be nothing short of rewarding. Beyond being able to call themselves state champs, the devoted coaches and teammates have continued to provide a place of encouragement and dedication both on and off the field, which she is extremely grateful for. 

“[The RGSO community] is really supportive,” Abby said. “All the coaches are so amazing, and they all really want what’s best for the team as well. All the girls are so nice. We all have team dinners, we hang out outside of practice, and we do charity, too. There aren’t any big cliques or anything, and we’re all just one team.”  

Since joining the soccer team, her past seasons with the team have proved to bring not only numerous victories but also a deeper relationship with the close-knit group of teammates she has had the opportunity to work with. In contrast to playing club, playing high school soccer has cemented even stronger bonds with her fellow players on the team since they all go to school together. 

“[The bonds with my teammates] have definitely grown, especially when [I] have classes with them,” Abby said. “It’s so nice because all of our relationships that we maybe wouldn’t have had without soccer all have a deeper connection. You get really close to your teammates, and you’re all great friends, and everyone supports each other, which I think is great. That’s definitely part of what makes it so fun.” 

Aside from her appreciation for the community of the team off of the field, Abby and her team also spend countless hours a week improving their game during practice, strength and conditioning, and games. Like any varsity sport, the responsibility for such athletes is very high but ultimately worth the devotion. For Abby, the demanding yet determined component of the team serves as a glue between the strong tandem of the team.  

“[The commitment] for high school is high because we have practice every day and then games around two nights a week,” Abby said. “The practices are long, but it’s so worth it. You get the team aspect of [playing], but also, you get to play really high-level soccer.”

In her final season with RGSO, Abby is not only excited to return to the positive community that she and her teammates have built, but she is also hopeful that this year’s team will repeat their triumphant victory from a few years ago and go home State Champions once again. With the team being a top competitor throughout the past few years, she is optimistic that the 2024 season will bring their hard work and dedication—both on and off the field—to fruition. 

“I’d really love to go back to States again,” Abby said. “I think we’re going to be a really good team this year. We’re able to pass the ball around really well, and we’re good communicators too, which is always helpful because it’s always clear what we’re trying to do [while playing].”

Now playing as a Ranger for one last season,  Abby’s years with the team have not only brought gold medals and triumphs but an organization she is eternally grateful to be a player for.  If there is anything she has gathered from the perseverance and teamwork demonstrated by the group, it is how proud she is to call herself a part of the team and the sport as a whole. 

“The soccer itself is so much fun, but that’s only part of it,” Abby said. “You’re with these girls for so long each week and every day, and you really grow close [to them]. One of the best parts of that is being able to always trust your teammates, and also, you learn to trust the other people in your life too.”