This is the Centrals Under 12 soccer team. Michael is in the back row, second boy from the left.
His team needs to beat Portland this weekend to have any chance of playing in the finals. Portland is one place above Centrals on the table and this game is the longest road trip, about one and a quarter hours.
These articles might be of interest:
One of my son’s played a baseball team just over an hour from us. As we made the drive I couldn’t help but think there were plenty of local teams we could be playing.