The girl’s soccer team is looking to improve their skill sets and planning to find more success for this upcoming season.
The team is coming off of an 8-13-2 season with their first exhibition taking place on March 14 versus Herscher away.
After a competitive season, the team is looking to bounce back against the more challenging teams they faced last year.
“I believe our toughest competition will be Plainfield North or Sandburg if we play them again,” senior Kailey Franco said. “I think my motivation towards the game and love I have for the team and my work to not give up, makes me a better player,” Franco said.
In order to improve their playstyle against these teams for the season, the team is already forming new ways to ready themselves for their opponents while holding onto the strategies that worked well previously.
“I want the team to be more clinical in our ability to put the ball in the back of the net,” coach Kenneth Schoen said. “We played really good defensively last season which allowed us to have a chance to win every game.”
Another crucial team-play mechanic of each game is ball movement and how well each player communicates with each other on the field.
“I want to work more on my footwork,” senior Missy Farrell said. “I want us to have better communication skills and work on moving the ball. Our biggest challenge was scoring last season and we weren’t able to score as much as we should have.”
Though offensive factors seem to be the focal point for the future; the players aren’t worried about how often they perform on that side of the ball rather than how well the team does overall.
“It’s not about who scores, it’s about us scoring,” senior Emma Burns said. “The best characteristic I’ve ever seen someone have, is having the ability to be happy for someone other than yourself.”
The team feels they can find strong success from unselfishness and communication.
“A strong team has athletes that are more invested in the success of the team rather than their individual success,” Schoen said. “I’m looking forward to seeing some of the returning players taking on leadership roles within the team.”
This inclusion of leadership works well for team chemistry, helping build a more solid foundation for what the team resembles on and off the field.
“Being with a good coach and amazing friends has always kept me going and wanting to continue playing,” Franco said. “My favorite thing about playing soccer for the school is being able to build a relationship with them that that may transcend after high school.”
Being so connected to your team and school leave a lasting impression on oneself.
“To me, the things that make me continue to play soccer is the adrenaline I feel on the field and the teammates and coaches that help to make me a better player and person,” sophomore Selah Fornelli said.
All together the girl’s team this season continue to show drive to proudly represent the school and themselves.
“I have found that the athletes take pride in representing their school,” Schoen said. “They show commitment, passion, good character, and are coachable which makes it enjoyable to coach the girls’ program.”