Imagine this situation: you’re running, fast and wild, pushing off enemies and skirting around other. The only thing on your mind is your goal. The goal. The only goal that matters.
You may thing this is the life of a warrior, a soldier, or even a Jedi. But no. This is the experience of the rugged 80 minutes of a girl’s varsity soccer game.
This year, the Hawks Varsity Girl’s team has three senior captains: Rachel Grady, Gabby Forrester, and Sarah Metcalf. They have an abundance of lower classmen too, and many other new players to the team. They also have a new coach, so the girl’s must learn how to “form unity…with a bunch of new girls” and “the new coach’s…coaching style,” says Grady.
The team has also been faced with quite a few injuries. Players Leah Baron, Metcalf, Grady, Courtney Benson, and Claire Nee have all been injured in some way. “Leah has shin splints, and so do I. Claire sprained her foot, Sarah broke her nose, Courtney has a pulled back, and I currently have a stress fracture in my foot.” says Grady. She says she knows it’s a lot for one season, but it’s bound to happen since soccer is a contact sport. Grady also says their goal is to be “healthy and healing by homecoming!”’
Soccer seems to take up most of these girl’s lives. Since all captains are seniors, Metcalf says “It’s tougher this year with [applying to] college and stuff.” Grady says her life has developed a rhythm, “…go to school, go to practice, come home, eat dinner, do homework, sleep…and do it all again.” These girls have to balance soccer, home, and likely, most importantly, school. Each player cannot be failing more than once class, or they will be ineligible to play.
The girls beat one of their biggest rivals this year, Bow High School, at an away game. One would think when the girls are out there, the game on the line, they must get nervous. When asked about this, Grady had an immediate answer: “You have to be confident…make the other team see fear and…intimidation. You must always have the mindset that you are going to win and feel how good it will [be] to win.” She seemed to sum up the whole season and team itself, not just the playing field: “Confidence is key.”
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