Charlie Eastland still remembers the sing-alongs, the music and the laughter of bus rides she shared with Johnsburg’s girls soccer team.

It was 2013 when the Skyhawks, in their first season under Charlie’s father, Rob Eastland, advanced to the Class 1A state finals and finished fourth. Charlie, a 3-year-old at the time, may have just been a spectator along for the ride, but the core memories she formed with that team and her father inspired her to one day wear that uniform.

“I’ve always been a Skyhawk,” Charlie said. “That 2013 group was one I’ll never forget because that was my first experience of what soccer is. It was such a fun environment, and I’ll never forget that. My dad’s coached for a very long time. Being along for that ride showed me that one day, I’ll be there. Being here now, I couldn’t be happier.”

Now a junior and starting midfielder in her third varsity season, Charlie Eastland is forming new memories with girls she’s known for nearly her whole life. Last season, Johnsburg reached the 1A state finals, with Charlie playing an integral role. She scored the game-winner to lift the Skyhawks over Timothy Christian in the semifinals.

Before that, she converted the deciding penalty kick as Johnsburg stunned Willows Academy to win its supersectional. It was a moment that Rob Eastland, who trusted his daughter after she failed to convert a penalty kick in regulation time, will remember for a very long time.

“Charlie was so tiny when she was young,” Rob said. “She was dwarfed by the other girls. I watched my kid have to develop the intelligence around not being able to compete physically. She’s caught up now, but she has that intelligence that really helped her out in her early years. These are the memories I’ll look back on and really cherish.”

Returning nearly all of their players from last season, the Skyhawks have picked up right where they left off. Entering the postseason with a 13-0 record, Johnsburg claimed both the Kishwaukee River Conference regular season and tournament titles. The Skyhawks are averaging five goals per game. They’ve allowed just three all season.

Senior forward Liz Smith, an All-KRC and All-Area First Team pick in 2025, has spearheaded the offense this spring, scoring 26 goals with five assists. Charlie Eastland, back from earning All-KRC and All-Area recognition last year, has 14 goals and 10 assists from the midfield.

“It feels like a continuation from last postseason,” Rob said. “What’s crazy is it’s probably the least coaching I’ve done in all my years of doing it because the girls are so set up in their positions and their belief in each other. You can tell most of them have played together since they were 8 years old. The hard work was done a long time ago.”

Like Charlie, many of Johnsburg’s current varsity players developed through NUFC, a soccer club founded in 2016 after the merger of three clubs, including the Johnsburg White Lightning. Both Rob and Charlie’s mother, Cori, coaches for the NUFC. The immediate family dynamic, as a result, has extended to most of Charlie’s teammates.

“I had a babysitter who was on the state team,” said senior Lauren McQuiston, a four-year varsity player whose sister Mackenzie played at Johnsburg. “Her name was Sam Wiersum. I would go and watch her with my older sister. It was really fun to see all of those girls. When I was younger, I always wanted to be a part of something like that.”

Jacquelyn Douglas, another senior who grew up playing youth soccer in Johnsburg, currently starts at center back and has anchored the team’s stifling defense. Douglas and the team’s other center back, senior London Baidinger, have played side-by-side since their youth days. Those years of chemistry, Douglas said, are making an impact.

“My best friend London, we’ve been playing together forever,” Douglas said. “We know each other and how each of us plays. Being alongside each other, we don’t even need little communication because we know how each of us plays. If we’re getting attacked, we all put the effort in to defend, and no matter what, we’re always there for each other.”

In Rob Eastland’s nine seasons as Johnsburg’s head girls coach, the Skyhawks boast a 104-45-4 record with six regional, three sectional and three supersectional titles. Johnsburg placed third in 2017 and moved one step closer to a state title with last year’s second-place performance. Could 2026 be the year that everything falls into place?

“I don’t think about that,” Rob said. “I appreciate the early-season minutes in the cold weather with my daughter as much as I would a state championship. You need a lot of skill to get to state, but you need a lot of luck, too. Sometimes, the pathway opens up for some teams. If the pathway opens up, great. We’ll keep playing to win.”

Soccer has been a staple for the Eastland family. Rob Eastland, who moved to the U.S. from England, played collegiately at Judson College [now Judson University], where he rests in the Athletic Hall of Fame. At the time of his induction in 2012, he was Judson’s all-time assists leader. He helped lead the Eagles to the 1997 NCCAA national title.

Cori Eastland also played collegiately. She attended Elmhurst College [now Elmhurst University] and was a three-time All-CCIW selection. As a high-schooler, Cori guided Jacobs to the 3A state tournament in 1999. Charlie has since inherited characteristics from both parents.

“Every weekend, it was never football in my house; it was the Premier League,” Charlie said. “I’d go out, he’d be watching Premier League, and he’d talk to me about game tactics. I was little, but it’s crazy how much I took away. I owe all of my intelligence to my dad because he made me sit there and watch soccer. My mom was a feisty player.”

Johnsburg is a No. 1 seed for the upcoming postseason. Should the Skyhawks complete their perfect season with a state title, it’d be the first in program history. No matter how the season ends, more memories are certain to be made. Not only for the girls on the field, but also for the parents and family members watching from the stands.

“All I have to do is look at a photo of Charlie, Devynn [Michel], Kayla [Hiller], Dougie, London or Lauren in kiddy kickers together,” Rob said. “The thing about these girls is they play for the minutes. They don’t play for plaques. The plaques are a byproduct of them enjoying being on the field together. They respect one another on and off the field.”