By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
Three members of the East Troy High School boys soccer team recently received All-Rock Valley Conference recognition.
Leading the way was senior Kai Bottum, who was named to the first team and as co-Player of the Year with McFarland’s Tony Donagan.
Bottum also was the RVC’s Player of the Year as a junior.
Joining Bottum on the all-conference list are seniors Brett Harper and Charlie Housh, who each were named honorable mention.
Bottum, who compete collegiately at NCAA Division 1 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the fall, led the team again in scoring. Official statistics were unavailable this week.
“Kai had a good season,” East Troy coach Mike Bottum said. “Although he is usually an offensive player, he played a lot of defense, which is what the team needed.
“Overall, I think the experience (of a tough season for the team), though frustrating, was very good for his personal development of leadership and mental toughness.”
Mike Bottum, Kai’s father, said his son’s scoring totals were even more impressive because the opposition knew exactly who the Trojans’ main weapon was at all times.
And that meant extra defenders on Kai, but he still managed to do his thing on the field.
“It wasn’t difficult for the opponent to defend our offensive strategies,” Mike Bottum said. “I am impressed, though, that as the season developed, a greater percentage of goals came from other players.”
Mike Bottum was in the unusual situation of being both a coach and a father to the best player on the team – and as the latter, he couldn’t have been prouder of what his son accomplished.
“Not even a coach can truly understand the personal commitment, personal motivation, hours spent and simple hard work required of top athletes as parents do,” Mike Bottum said.
“Parents are the ones that experience the tears, facing the venting and frustrations of their kids. They experience first hand, the background of all the highs and lows witnessed out on the field. To experience a situation where all this work actually pays off is an extremely rewarding event for both (my wife), Sabine, and myself.”
And as a coach, Mike Bottum certainly understood how important his son, who will be the first ever Division 1 player from East Troy, was to the team’s success.
“Kai is the perfect player to use as an example for other members of the team,” Mike Bottum said. “To have one of the best players also be one of the most committed and hardest workers is a win-win situation for everyone.”
Two others earn honors
Harper and Housh, along with Kai Bottum, played alongside each other for more than eight years, their coach said.
And while it’s always tough to see it come to an end, both Harper and Housh also were key members of the squad.
“Charlie was our defensive leader,” Bottum said. “He consistently played with freshmen to both his left and right. He did a very good job of bringing them along and shaping our defense.
“Brett, as our offensive leader, was also flanked mainly with underclassmen. He worked hard to be a lead-by-example teammate.”
Bottum also commended the efforts of his assistant coaches, Greg Equi and Greg Harper.
“They provided an additional insight to the state of the team,” he said. “Although we did not have a winning record, I believe, with their input the season was a very positive and successful season for all involved.”
