Luke’s father, Eric Hickey, stood a few yards away near midfield worshipping the Rams — who had just lost to Bishop Watterson 1-0 in overtime of a Division III state semifinal at Wright State University.
“If you’re letting out tears, those are good tears,” Eric Hickey reassured them with emotional pride. “I thank you guys. You guys gave me something to be proud of, and you all should be proud of what you were able to accomplish, too.
“There are no more firsts for Badin soccer.”
He’s right.
Badin had its most successful season in school history — backed by a persevering group of players that experienced a little bit of everything during their journey.
For one, the Rams beat Greater Catholic League Coed rival and top-ranked Carroll for the first time ever.
Secondly, they reeled off seven consecutive victories — including two on penalty kicks — to reach the state semifinals. It was a feat never seen by the green and white.
But that journey had already become something bigger than the result.
“This whole experience has been the best thing ever,” Luke said quietly. “To do all this with my dad — it just feels like everything came together perfectly. Our team has been waiting for this for a long time.”
For the senior defender, the chance to share this ride with his father made every win, every long practice and every tough moment worth it.
Luke had grown up on the fields where Eric coached, learning the game and absorbing the lessons that would shape him both as a player and as a person.
“He’s been doing this for so long,” Luke said. “To be able to be a part of something historic with him — that’s what makes this special.”
The Rams did it all with a roster that blended seasoned seniors and fearless underclassmen.
But for Eric — who finished up his 13th season at Badin — it wasn’t just about the wins. It was about watching his son grow into a leader with his teammates.
“When he’s on the field, he’s not my son — he’s Luke,” Eric said. “He’s just another guy in the back line.
“Then we go home and watch tape together, that’s when he becomes my son again.”
Eric never planned to coach Luke. But fate — and soccer — had other plans.
“I didn’t coach him when he was younger,” Eric said. “I was the corner flag guy. I sat away from everyone so no one could say, ‘That’s daddy ball.’
“He earned everything he’s gotten.”
That approach forged mutual respect between the two.
Luke became an All-State, All-League and All-City defender, while anchoring a back line that carried Badin through two straight overtime wins to reach Wednesday’s state semifinal.
Eric, meanwhile, guided a 17-man roster that willed itself into November.
“Everybody was bigger, faster, stronger,” Eric said. “But these guys just kept going. They left everything they had on the field. And Luke was right in the middle of it all.”
Luke cracked a smile when thinking about it.
“We’ve done a lot of firsts this year,” the younger Hickey said. “It’s just cool knowing we got to do them together.”
Eric’s coaching career spans years of building the Badin soccer program from the ground up. He surpassed 200 career victories in the process, but this season was different.
This time, he wasn’t just shaping players — he was sharing a once-in-a-lifetime experience with his son.
“People kept saying, ‘There’s no more firsts left,’” Eric said. “And then we kept finding them. To do it with Luke — to come home and sit with our trophies, to see him lead this team — it’s something I’ll have forever.
“And these seniors gave everything,” Eric added. “They wrote a story that no Badin team has ever written. I just got to be a small part of it — and one of those players happened to be my son.”
Luke plans to play soccer in college, continuing the sport that has defined so much of his life. His father, for once, will get to step back, sit in the stands and simply be a dad.
“I know I’ll look back and realize how great this really was,” Luke said. “We made history. And I got to do it with my dad.”
Eric nodded, reflecting on the journey that had taken them to the brink of a state title — and even closer as father and son.
“Next year, I’ll be in the stands watching him,” Eric said. “But I’ll always remember this season. It was magical. Coaching your son is special — but doing it while making history? That’s once in a lifetime.”
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