Rockford — After winning big in their first foosball tournament, two Rockford middle-schoolers are eyeing a future in the sport.
Seventh-graders Andrew Spears and Noah Spray were among a group of 10 East Rockford Middle School students who participated in the recent Great Lakes Classic foosball tournament, presented by Foosball Clubs USA. Several of the students took home trophies, but Andrew and Noah were the highest-performing in the group, said Assistant Principal Derek Dillon, the district’s resident foosball flagbearer.
Andrew took home a first-place trophy for singles in the under-16 age bracket, winning his own professional foosball table in the process.
Asked about his winning strategy, Andrew said he relied heavily on a fast, powerful, wrist-propelled maneuver called the snake shot.
“It’s super-hard to guard, and it’s just luck if you actually block it,” he said.
Andrew and Noah also competed as a pair in the doubles tournament, where they finished in second place.
In the wake of their victory, the budding dynamic duo are hoping to keep progressing and leveling up with their skills.
“We both want to become professionals one day,” Noah said. “Like, professional players at the top level. And we’re on our way.”
Dillon said he wouldn’t put it past them.
“They definitely have the skill set to be pros,” he said.
The pair formed a friendship around foosball last year, when Dillon, who previously helmed a foosball club at Rockford Freshman Center, made the move to ERMS, bringing several tables with him.
Students like Andrew and Noah took an immediate liking to the game, and now they spend pretty much all their free time practicing.
“It’s just nice to have something to do at lunch,” Noah said. “I don’t really like just sitting down all the time.”
“It’s very entertaining,” Andrew added. “You can do it before school, at lunch and then after school. You can practice and come back to show your new skills and compete and win.”
Dillon said he remains a staunch supporter of foosball because of the positive social impact the game can have on students.
“It gives the kids an opportunity to interact,” he said. “They learn how to win, they learn how to lose, they learn how to get through adversity. And it’s great hand-eye coordination.”
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