The future of Fairhope girls soccer looks bright if the U12 girls squad coached by Josh Montgomery is any indication. Montgomery says this team, made up of a core group that has been together for three full seasons, has been a pleasure to coach. “They just work together well as a team, and they have a great work ethic and great attitude,” says Montgomery. “They’ve just been a joy to coach.” Montgomery coached for eight years in Mississippi before coming to Fairhope five years ago, and has coached boys and girls of all ages. However, he says the last 12 months or so working with this collection of dedicated and hard-working girls has been an eye-opening experience. “I tell the parents constantly that I have never had a group improve as quickly as this group,” Montgomery says. “Over the course of 12 months, I’ve never seen a group grow and develop as quickly as they have during my 15 years of coaching.” In 2016 the U12 girls team played in three play dates and four tournaments. Aside from one tournament, the team was in contention to break bracket, and constantly improved throughout the fall. Even though they haven’t won any trophies yet, he has been surprised by their knowledge of the game, their willingness to listen to instruction, and knack for learning new skills. “They have an uncanny ability to understand development and to understand the Academy process,” he says. “They’re very humble, loyal to each other, and a highly competitive group of girls. We’re very excited about the future of this age group.”