Sweat dripped down their faces, parents and teammates cheered on the sidelines and their legs cramped, threatening to give out. This is the norm for the girls’ soccer team, throughout the summer. While everyone was sleeping in until noon, the soccer girls were at Eagle High practicing drills before the sun was even awake.
Soccer isn’t an easy sport; it requires a lot of training due to its requirements of so many skills. Players need to be in good physical condition while also having to make split second decisions that could affect the entire game. It’s a simple sport to learn but it’s incredibly hard to master.
However, the early morning practices paid off as the girls were able to take the win at their third game on Aug. 24 against Rocky Mountain High.
“We won 2-0 and that was a big win for us as Rocky was ranked second in the preseason poles and we were ranked fourth,” said head coach Tristan Spooner.
Eagle High has proved to have an incredible amount of teamwork, with the girls blending so naturally despite being on the younger side. According to Spooner, this year the varsity team lost nine seasoned players who graduated in May. Regardless of the different ages, the girls naturally have an intense amount of athleticism flowing through their blood.
The Junior Varsity team has also not been shy in showing their talent by tying against both Rocky Mountain High and Boise High, which are both top teams in the state.
“We all have a pretty good relationship with each other, and I can’t wait to see how much more tight knit we can become throughout the season,” said sophomore Mia Dickens who plays forward on varsity. Part of being on the team is working through the highs and lows despite losses.
“I am a firm believer in ‘taking care of the ball’, which to non-soccer people means maintaining possession,” Spooner said. “Quick one or two touch possession drills encourage the girls to think faster on and off the ball, improve awareness of their surroundings and forces support off the ball.” These practice drills have been incredibly helpful in increasing the level of skills on the team. The girls are continuing to practice every day and are looking forward to growing closer.
They have been able to show team strength in their ball and body control altogether and have been concentrating on individualistic skills that are required for their different positions. The goalies are the last line of defense, which means they need to use their entire body to keep the ball out of the net. Whereas offense needs to be fast runners and defense must anticipate the other team’s offensive maneuvers.
Despite it being so early in the season and with a whole new team, the girls have natural expertise by themselves and together as one by beating Borah High 5-0 on Sept. 5. It should be interesting to see how the season plays out and the ways the group improves. The organization is committed to trying their best, while having fun and entertaining fans.
