Some of the Troy soccer teams headed to district play are accustomed to winning.

The 2009 15-and-under team is one of them.

This is the same team that won the 13-and-under state championship last season and a couple years before that won the 11-and-under state championship.

Now the team, which is coached by Doug McLendon, heads into district play this weekend against Eufaula in hopes of continuing its winning ways.

“These kids are use to winning,” McLendon said. “And they are expecting to keep winning.”

With practices beginning a little over a week ago, McLendon has had the task of getting his team prepared for the upcoming games – something that has not been as easy as some might expect.

“We are still a bit rusty, but we are playing very relaxed right now.

“This is a very confident group that is coming together,” the coach added.

The team’s opponent this weekend is the defending 15-and-under state champions from a year ago.

“It should be a good game, hopefully we are not in for any surprises [on Saturday].

“We have good players at every positions. I think it will come down to our ability to communicate on the field and create scoring opportunities,” McLendon said.

Both teams will be advancing to the state tournament regardless of the outcome, however, the district championship will be on the line.

“I feel like this team plays defense pretty well and that is something that is going to help us when some games,” McLendon said.

McLendon has been coaching some of the kids on this team since they were eight-years-old and said he knows the kids have a lot of things going on in their lives but when they step on the field, everything changes.

“I think they realize they don’t have to win district but at the same time, when they get on that field, they will be ready to play and play to win.”