By Correne Martin
It was cute and chaotic, but as a 4 year old in the Rhinelander Soccer Club’s 6 and under program, Landon Kohler essentially learned to love the game. Back then, like his young teammates, he worked mostly on passing and trying to score, and any chance he got, he was kicking the ball around in his back yard.
At age 8, Landon moved with his parents, Kirby and Melissa, his older sister Autumn and younger brother Tanner to Prairie du Chien. Locally, in this smaller and more football-focused community, the soccer opportunities weren’t as technical, physical or as strong in numbers. These days, the Prairie United Soccer Club (PUSC) is growing; however, the competitive offerings are still minimal for kids like Landon, now 11, whose primary passion is soccer and whose abilities are undeniable.
“He has the skillset to play mid(fielder) without a doubt,” his dad, Kirby, said. “He dreams about soccer. He wants to do it all the time.”
