Throwback Thursday: Soccer By: Brett Briggeman

Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) has a long history of athletic prowess extending back to its founding.

When it comes to the HSU soccer team, it is no different. However, there is always a starting point for each budding team that grows into successful competitors throughout the state, and the HSU soccer team finds its beginnings back in October of 1975.

Organized originally as a club, the soccer team began as a small voluntary group on campus, coached by Master Sgt. Charles E. Smith, a member of the ROTC staff, and supervised by the athletic director of the time, Russell Berry. The club was organized “for the enjoyment of the participants and, we hope, for some spectators,” according to Berry.

With the club already receiving a large amount of interest from students on campus, plans were made to join the Texas Collegiate Soccer League the following year. The makeup of the league may come as a surprise to many, as the teams listed are all now within different divisions and are ranked differently based on school size.

“This league now includes such schools as Texas Tech, Midwestern, Texas Christian, North Texas, Southern Methodist, Baylor, Dallas Baptist, Mary Hardin-Baylor, LeTourneau and others. Games have been scheduled this fall with Mary Hardin-Baylor and Midwestern,” Berry said.

Another reason for its founding was as a way to reach and impact missionary kids who came to HSU for higher education. 

“One of the reasons for our offering a soccer program is to accommodate children of missionaries,” Berry said. “Many of them learn how to play in foreign countries, and are interested in continuing the game in college.”

As we see from its inception, the HSU soccer team was made for both the enjoyment of those on campus, but also to help people who are new to our campus life adjust to a new way of living after coming off of the mission field. Sports help bring people together like nothing else can, allowing for connections to be made on all sorts of different levels. 

With the HSU soccer season in full swing, be sure to go out and support our cowboys and cowgirls as they seek to win the division and move on into the playoffs. 

The HSU Brand (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 8, Ed. 1, Friday, October 3, 1975, newspaper, October 3, 1975; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth97225/m1/4/?q=Soccer%20team: accessed October 26, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hardin-Simmons University Library.