Booneville Soccer Star Parker Pounders Named Player of the Year

Pounders led the Blue Devils to their best season in program history with a team-first mentality.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 1:04am

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A cubist-style painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and planes in shades of blue, green, and orange, capturing the dynamic energy and teamwork of a soccer match or training session.Pounders' selfless leadership and team-first mentality were crucial in guiding the Booneville soccer program to historic heights.Booneville Today

Parker Pounders, a standout soccer player for the Booneville Blue Devils, has been named the 2025-26 Daily Journal Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Pounders, who has been with the team since seventh grade, led Booneville to a historic 21-3 season that included a first-place finish in Class I Region 1 and the team's first-ever North half final appearance. Despite scoring 43 goals and tallying 12 assists, Pounders remained focused on the team's success rather than his individual accomplishments.

Why it matters

Pounders' selfless leadership and team-first mentality were crucial in guiding the Booneville soccer program to new heights. His dedication and hard work, dating back to his time as a student manager, have inspired his teammates and coaches, showcasing the impact a single player can have on a team's culture and performance.

The details

Pounders, who has played club soccer growing up, has been a standout player for the Blue Devils since joining the team in seventh grade. This season, he led the team with 43 goals and 12 assists, playing a key role in Booneville's 21-3 record, first-place finish in Class I Region 1, and the team's first-ever North half final appearance. Despite his individual accomplishments, Pounders remained focused on the team's success, prioritizing wins over personal statistics.

  • Pounders has been with the Booneville soccer team since seventh grade, starting as a student manager.
  • In the 2025-26 season, Pounders led the Blue Devils to a 21-3 record, the team's best in program history.
  • Booneville finished first in Class I Region 1 and made their first-ever North half final appearance.

The players

Parker Pounders

A standout soccer player for the Booneville Blue Devils, who has been with the team since seventh grade and was named the 2025-26 Daily Journal Boys Soccer Player of the Year.

Bart Greenhaw

The head coach of the Booneville soccer team, who praised Pounders' dedication, hard work, and team-first mentality.

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What they’re saying

“I'm definitely really excited. It was kind of surprising at first, but I think it's really a testament to how hard our team has worked, and not just even an individual award, but how we've had success as a team this year, too.”

— Parker Pounders, Player

“He's put in a ton of work in getting to the point where he is, and nobody deserves it more than him. He loves the sport, and he's been out here, a manager since sixth grade all the way, and year after year, he's gotten better and better and improved his game. We're just certainly excited he got this opportunity.”

— Bart Greenhaw, Head Coach

What’s next

The Booneville Blue Devils will look to build on their historic 2025-26 season and make another deep playoff run in the upcoming year.

The takeaway

Pounders' selfless leadership and team-first mentality were instrumental in guiding the Booneville soccer program to new heights, showcasing the impact a single player can have on a team's culture and performance through hard work, dedication, and a focus on collective success over individual accolades.