Lakewood soccer squad benefits from brotherly love

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Joel and Jason Ferguson are about as opposite as you can get.

Joel, a senior and the older of the two, is quiet and reserved, while his younger brother, Jason, a junior, is more outspoken, competitive and overly confident at times.

And the lack of similarities doesn’t end there. On the field, Jason is more aggressive and defensive, while his older brother focuses more on using his speed and skill set to his advantage.

Joel tends to let his playing do the talking, while his younger brother has been known to tell it like it is — a little too much at times.

“I’m faster,” Jason says.

“No way,” Joel retorts.

Yes, the notion of putting two near-polar opposites on the field together, let alone in the same room, may seem like a recipe for disaster, but Joel and Jason will be the first ones to admit it’s a blessing.

“We’ll look back on this one day and enjoy it,” Jason said. “This is where we bond.”

Now the two co-captains are hoping to lead the second-seeded Lakewood Ranch boys soccer team to another district championship and beyond in their final season together out on the field.

“We’re playing our best soccer,” Jason said. “It’s more mental now. We have the skills, so we just have to take it one game at a time.”

This season, the two brothers have accounted for 16 of the Mustangs 49 goals and have more assists than either one can count. Jason is Lakewood’s leading scorer, with 10 goals on the season — a good portion of which have come off assists from his brother.

The same can be said for Joel, who has contributed six goals of his own this season.

“I know if I play it to him, he’ll get there,” Jason said.

The two brothers began playing soccer when they were 3 years old after they father, Larry, bought them a soccer ball.

“It was just kind of natural,” Joel said. “Since I’ve been able to walk, I’ve been kicking it.”

Not to be outdone by his brother, Jason followed suit.

“I wanted to be better than him,” Jason said.”

The two joined the Braden River Soccer Club, and before long, Joel and Jason found themselves on the same club team after Jason moved up a level to play with his brother.

Both made Lakewood’s varsity roster as freshmen and have been playing for the Mustangs ever since. In addition to playing for Lakewood, the two brothers play on the Lakewood Ranch Chargers U18/U19 team.

Joel was named a captain following his freshman season, and Jason, who is in the midst of his best season, was named a captain earlier this year.

“They have a lot of heart and soul,” coach Vito Bavaro said. “Joel has been a captain for three years, and Jason is taking over the reins that he’s passed down. They both love the game and this team. It’s fun to watch them play.”

From the moment he stepped onto the field as a freshman, Jason knew he had big shoes to fill. But no matter what happened, Joel always tried to be a positive influence on his brother.

“I’ve tried to teach him to stay humble and to always keep his head in the game,” Joel said.

“He taught me how to be successful,” Jason said. “He’s a good model of being successful.”

“That’s probably the nicest thing you’ve ever said about me,” Joel replied. “We’re complete opposites, but we go hand-in-hand there.”

Now with only a few weeks remaining in their final season together on the field, Joel and Jason are striving to make this the most memorable season yet — one they hope will conclude with a state championship.

“There’s going to be tears at the end of the season,” Jason said. “It’s going to be very emotional. The good thing is that we play two different positions, but it’ll be different not having my brother out on the field. It’ll only be Jason being announced. We’ve played together for at least 10 years, and we’ve always played on the same field.”

“It’ll be a lot different,” Joel said of no longer playing with his brother. “Life is going to be completely different for me. I’ve always had soccer, so I probably won’t know what to do with myself.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].