Friendship isn’t the only “team” aspect to varsity boys’ soccer this year as Sam and Nick Palano and Harlan and Jeremy Raine have added a family facet to the squad. As seniors, the Palano twins are team captains that lead by example.  Jeremy Raine made the cut as a freshman, joining his senior brother on varsity.

The Palanos also play together on LMYA, club and traveling teams. Of his brother, Sam Palano said, “I’ve played with him all my life, so it’s not really different.”

However, being brothers has had its advantages. Nick Palano said, “It’s kind of easier because I kind of know what he’s thinking.” He added, “It’s definitely different than having a random guy on the team.” Growing up together in soccer has given them an edge. “I understand what he does on the soccer field because I’ve played with him so long,” Nick Palano explained.

The Raine brothers feel the same way. Although they tend to avoid each other sometimes, “I kind of like it because we push each other,” said Jeremy Raine.

Harlan plays forward, while Jeremy plays all around the field, so they do not compete for playing time. The real hurdle is the same one faced by all young athletes on the team. Jeremy explained, “As a freshman it’s hard to get playing time but I try hard.” He agrees that having a brother on the team adds something. “I think it gives us more team chemistry, maybe because we know each other really well,” he said.

Harlan Raine sees a lot of himself in his brother. He said that they have the same playing style. “It’s cool to see what I was like as a freshman,” he added.

“I think it’s good for him [Jeremy] because he gets constant pressure from me.”

Harlan thinks that when Jeremy is a senior he’ll be just like his older brother. Harlan tries to treat his brother as any other teammate. It doesn’t matter if they are brothers or not. “when we’re all on the soccer field we’re all teammates,” he said.

Varsity Soccer coach and 2004 Campo alum Shane Carney does not try to recruit brothers on to the team. “It’s just all random. I don’t treat them as brothers,” he explained.  Nick and Sam Palano made the varsity team as freshman, and as two of the top players they are both usually on the field at the same time. Carney added that having brothers on the team doesn’t always help “because they fight like brothers on the field.”

Senior Leland Wong, a varsity defensive player, can attest to the benefit of siblings. He said that having the Palanos as team captains is symbolic of the team’s closeness. He said, “I always see Nick and Sam always pushing each other. And they are basically telepathic.” He said that they have a sense of knowing where to be when the other them. He said that Jeremy and Harlan “push each other which, definitely helps.”