The Cinco Ranch Cougars are on a momentous streak in the UIL postseason, reaching the fourth round for the first time dating back to 2016.
While coach Ryan Searle has a bevy of instrumental weapons within his arsenal, it’s been Ossian Elgstrom that has proven to be a genuine difference-maker.
Given the precedent he and the team have established, and the fact that it’s his senior year, it’s not hard to see where the 6-foot-3 center-back’s motivations lie.
“It being my senior year and going the farthest I’ve ever gone has made it a special journey,” he said. “For us seniors, this moment has made us want to play harder because we don’t want it to be our last game.”
As is the case with most soccer players, Elgstrom’s passion for the game stems from his childhood.
However, Cinco Ranch’s star defender carries the distinction of beginning his journey across the pond.
“I started playing when I was about three or four years old, and growing up in Sweden,” said Elgstrom. “Soccer is the main sport there, and everyone follows it. It’s comparable to the impact that football and baseball have on American culture, so it’s really all I knew growing up.”
“We moved to the US when I was seven, and it was difficult at first because I didn’t know the language. But, I was eventually able to acclimate to the new environment. I’m also really pleased to see how much soccer has grown in the US, because it’s always been a big part of my life.”
It’s that intangible love for the sport that can bring cultures together, after all. But, it also feeds into Elgstrom’s strength on the pitch.
“I feel like my greatest asset comes from my defensive awareness,” he said. “I also like to think I have some versatility, since I’ve been scoring a lot of goals this season, despite being a center-back. I’m content to do whatever is needed to help give the team a boost.”
Elgstrom earned first-team, all-state honors and his second-consecutive District 19-6A Defender of the Year nod a year ago, and is likely to repeat that effort in 2024.
Individual accolades aside, the Cougars now prepare to face Kingwood in the Regional Semis, with the opportunity to compete in the Region II Final, and perhaps a trip to the State Tournament in Georgetown, on the line.
“We need to take it one game at a time,” Elgstrom said. “If you’re thinking beyond, you won’t be able to focus when it matters. So, all we can do is keep our sights on what we can accomplish against the opponent that’s in front of us.”
While he may not be looking ahead just yet, Elgstrom does have a plan for when he graduates in the coming months.
“I’m actually going to be taking a gap year and going back to Sweden,” he said. “I’m going to be playing for a club team (Östers IF U19) there in order to try to get a pro contract.”
Who knows, the Cinco Ranch senior might one day be a part of the Swedish national team, just as his favorite player, and soccer legend, Zlatan Ibrahimović was.
Regardless of what happens in the near future, Elgstrom has already cemented his status as a legend within the Katy ISD program.