- April 18, 2024
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Pull quote: “Those boys have gone through a lot in life, but I think they’ve beat the odds, and I believe soccer had a lot to do with it.”
NIK EFREMOSKI, Seabreeze soccer head coach
There’s a scripture in the Bible that says “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity (Proverbs 17:17).” When writing that, I wonder if Solomon had the Collins brothers, Jordan, Noah, Hunter and Jaden, in mind.
In their early childhood, they lived with their parents, who both struggled with drug addiction. When the state got involved and threatened to separate them with different foster parents, the brothers started writing letters to the state, asking them to allow the brothers to stay with their grandmother, so they could all remain together.
“We didn’t want to separate from each other,” said senior Noah Collins. “We were the only family we had at the time.”
After their grandmother had taken them in, their uncle would visit them and teach them how to play soccer, which they all credit as being the outlet they've use to handle all that they’ve gone through.
“Without soccer, we would all probably be on drugs or something worse,” Collins added.
“Those boys have gone through a lot in life, but I think they’ve beaten the odds, and I also believe soccer had a lot to do with it,” Coach Nik Efremoski said. “They love it. They’re always out here, and, even before I met them, I used to see them out here with their Netherlands jerseys playing with their uncle. So, it’s definitely a pleasure playing with those boys, and I’m glad to have a few more years left with them.”
Efremoski, who’s currently coaching the younger three, Noah, Hunter (junior) and Jaden (freshman), has coached all of the boys, since he’s led the Sandcrabs. Jordan Collins graduated two season ago.
But, soccer played a major role in comforting the brothers last year, when their grandmother died.
“It was really hard losing her, because she was always there for us,” Jaden said. “She meant the world to us. But now, it makes us thrive to do our best, to show her that she did a great job raising us.”
The Collins brothers, then, went to live with the uncle who taught them soccer, and they have grown into great contributors, together, for the Sandcrabs soccer team. Last season, Noah won the team’s Most Valuable Player Award, and they are all going to play in the regional tournament together.
Even better than their on-field success, the boys all have perfect 4.0 grade point averages. While they hold each other accountable on the field, they do just as much in the classroom. They all hope to graduate and attend the University of Florida, where their uncle went.
Since their young ages, they haven’t been in contact with either parent, but their messages to them are simple.
“You missed out,” Hunter Collins said.
“You gave us a great drive for success, and put chips on our shoulders,” Noah Collins added.
