Catching Up with Troy City WFC!

Their 80-player tryouts over 3 days had more than 2x the turnout in the previous season.

By Garrett Pog

The last time we heard from Troy City WFC, they won the MPSL crown in their debut season as a club, while finishing in the middle of the table of the UWS Midwest Conference. Since then, Troy’s finest played their hearts out for their college teams in the fall, and are now gearing up for another successful season in 2025. At their first tryout date on December 30th, I had the chance to reconnect and chat with the coaches and captains for the upcoming season, and see where their progress has taken them.

All three captains for the upcoming season had successful years with their school. Keira Boskovich, the 2nd-year captain from Lourdes, recorded an assist while leading her team to a team-record 13 wins, including a win in the WHAC tournament. Syd Hewer was tied for the team lead in goals with 9 en route to a double-digit win season for Heidelberg. Alanna Earl, who’s also returning for her 2nd season as captain, scored 6 goals for Adrian after searching for one all summer with Troy City. Her team also won their most games in a few years, including a win in the MIAA tournament.

“In my time at Adrian, we hadn’t won double-digit games yet, so it felt really good to accomplish those goals we set before the season,” she said.

For Owner John Arndt, it’s been business as usual. “Once one season ends, the next one begins right after.” Interest for the new season was high, as players from all over Southeast Michigan wanted to see what the 2nd-year club was all about. There were many girls who have worked with John Arndt Training in the past, but also some who hadn’t worked with him prior to Monday night, including one who traveled all the way from Petoskey. Sponsors all around the city have flocked to support the club, and Arndt has also started a Youtube channel dedicated to streaming games of the athletes he trains, called Pitch Perfect Streaming. Pitch Perfect is expected to stream all of the games for Troy City next season.

In addition to that, he’s brought in an assistant coach in Liz Wood, who’s able to bring a female coaching voice to a locker room that didn’t have one previously.

“I’m excited to be a part of this team,” she said. “It’s clear that John is a great coach and the women really respect him. I never had a team like this growing up, so I’m looking forward to providing these girls an opportunity to keep playing.”

Wood hails from Leicestershire, England, and has played soccer (football if you ask her) since the age of 6. She was the only girl on a team full of boys growing up. After moving to the United States in 2003, she led many youth camps across the country, eventually settling down in Michigan. After coaching U13 and below for so long, she’s excited for a new step in her career. “It’s a little different for me, but I’m enjoying it so far.”

The main night of tryouts was simple and straightforward, giving everyone a chance to prove themselves in 9v9 and 11v11 scrimmages. With so many girls in attendance, ranging from ages 15-21, there were a lot of different players with different experience levels on each team.

“You can tell there was an impact with what we did last year,” Boskovich said. “There’s a lot of ideas being flown back and forth because we all play at different levels, it’s really cool to see,” Hewer added.

Before the night began though, the CEO of AIR Cryotherapy, Patrick Smith, spoke to the team about his services and his support. Sponsors speaking to the team is uncommon among sports, but not uncommon to Troy City. You may remember last year’s title sponsor asking the team to sign a jersey to hang in their office.

“This is a really good thing for the young ladies, especially keeping them healthy,” Smith commented. “I get calls about an ACL everyday, and 90% of the time, it’s a young lady. If we can prevent those types of injuries, and heal them, that’s amazing stuff.”

“It’s huge that he wanted to come out and talk to the girls. It shows that we care, that we have more than just practice if you play here. We have other things to keep you healthy and playing at your best. Those partnerships set us apart from other groups.” Arndt added.

By the end of the evening, John Arndt brought the players together and said “You guys made it really hard for me to make decisions tonight.” Arndt is tasked with selecting a steady and heavily committed team to play in the UWS, while the rest will fill out the roster for the MPSL. It’s possible that there could be two MPSL teams, as Arndt is committed to “keeping the best players in the area from going elsewhere.” In the past, Arndt has shown a dedication to mixing girls from different experience levels on the same team, as well as making sure everyone gets significant playing time.

So, what types of players should we expect for Troy City this season?

Boskovich: “We’re looking for players that are hungry, and still have that love for the game. I’d like to have teammates that care for others, who high-five players that assisted their goal, and stuff like that.”

Earl: “I want someone who’s willing to run through the wall for the team. Someone who’s willing to be a team player, no selfishness, always looking for the better pass, as well as positive communicators.

Hewer: “I want them to be uplifting, even when things aren’t going our way. If they demand the best from everyone, and hold each other accountable, that would be great.”

If you were to ask for my takeaway, it would be that the camaraderie amongst the team hasn’t changed at all, despite the many new faces. Everyone got along better than you see on most teams, and the attitude was competitive but also encouraging, with most girls wanting to see the whole team succeed and not just themselves. For Keira, environments like this are more important than some may realize.

“I’ve experienced a lot of loss with friendships throughout my collegiate time, because I was so locked-in and focused on sports. I’ve learned to be alone in some cases, but when I step onto the field, I realize I’m not alone. That feeling means a lot to me.”

​It’s a vibe that not many clubs can offer, especially at this stage in the process. Troy City will look to reintroduce themselves on the field in mid-May, with games to follow all summer long. Honestly, it can’t come soon enough.