Inaugural Culler Cup helps LPS students net lifelong memories, soccer skills

May 19, 2025

Hundreds of Lincoln Public Schools middle school students netted lifelong memories this spring when they kicked off the first edition of a multi-school soccer tournament.
 
Approximately 300 students, staff and family members gathered at Northeast High School’s athletics field for the inaugural Culler Cup. Teams from five LPS Title I middle schools – Culler, Dawes, Goodrich, Lefler and Park – played 43 soccer games during the late afternoon and evening. The event promoted teamwork, cooperation and civic engagement in a fun environment for everyone.

 
Park eighth grader Isaac was one of the 150 LPS students who enjoyed their time at the tournament. Isaac smiled as he laced up his shoes to begin warming up with his teammates on one end of the field. He grew up playing soccer with his family and has participated in intramurals with other Park students.
 
“I was pretty excited because we’ve never had anything like this,” Isaac said. “I’ve really been looking forward to it.”

 
Lefler coaches Zoe Mays and Charlotte Ceballos said the Lions were just as enthusiastic when they arrived at Northeast. Mays and Ceballos held one practice prior to the tournament to give each seven-person team a chance to work together. Students received colorful t-shirts to wear as uniforms and were celebrities in Park’s hallways on game day.
 
“We’re really excited to be here,” Mays said. “As soon as the guys heard about it, they were begging to put together teams. We hadn’t even started to put up the posters about it yet, and they were already like, ‘What’s this soccer thing we’re hearing about?’ They were very excited about it.”
 
“The kids were excited to get the t-shirts,” Ceballos said. “They wore them today at school and around the building. Kids were congratulating them and wishing them luck for the games today. It’s been a big deal for them.”
 
Culler Building Coordinator Tom Kolbe said he was pleased to see many smiles appear as the tournament games unfolded. Culler students have taken part in their own Culler Cup activities for the past two years, but organizers wanted to expand the opportunities to players at Dawes, Goodrich, Lefler and Park. Approximately 30 girls and boys from each school signed up to play.
 
“It was uplifting to see so many middle school students have the opportunity to do what they love and represent their schools during the soccer tournament,” Kolbe said.

 
In addition to promoting student and staff wellbeing, the event also served as a catalyst for civic engagement throughout the city. Kolbe partnered with organizations such as Lincoln Community Learning Centers (CLC), Civic Nebraska and the Lincoln Community Builder Coalition (LCBC) for the tournament, which featured soccer games, music and food trucks.
 
Funds from the LCBC’s Strong Neighborhoods Grant program provided t-shirts for every player and feather flags for each school. Charles Richardson, the CLC site coordinator at Culler, helped promote the event across town, and coaches such as Mays and Ceballos led teams in each eight-minute game.
 
Ceballos and Park coach Griffin Overbeck both said the tournament was a good way to foster community spirit. Many students play intramural soccer in the fall at Moore Middle School, which provides opportunities to meet people who are from other buildings. This has created many friendships that will last throughout their middle and high school years.

 
“They have a lot of friends who play on the other teams too, so they’re happy to see some of their buddies,” Ceballos said. “It’s a really good event.”
 
“You could tell when we got here today that everyone was happy to see other kids that they knew,” Overbeck said. “It wasn’t just from one grade either. It was from sixth through eighth grade, which was pretty neat. It’s been a few months since we played our last intramural game and they were excited to get back on the field with each other.”

The seven-on-seven tournament format featured four games taking place at the same time. Each corner of the field featured back-and-forth action with smaller sidelines and nets. Students listened for announcements when there were four minutes and one minute left in each game. They then waited for their next game with teammates on the high school track.
 
Kolbe said organizers would like to make the Culler Cup an annual event at LPS. He said the sport of soccer builds many bridges for students and helps them net a host of lifelong skills.
 
“My colleagues at Title I middle schools witness students’ excitement for soccer every day,” Kolbe said. “This is especially true for our students new to LPS from other global places. It is a universal experience that brings us together.”

Want to learn more about how you or your student can get involved at LPS? Visit our Athletics and Activities page at https://home.lps.org/athletics/.

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