Girls Soccer Team Improves to 7-3-2

“I feel as if every day we are getting better,” Coach Hanley said about the middle school girls soccer team in an interview on September 15th.

So far, this season, the Middle school girls soccer team has a record of 7-3-2. The team captains, Layla Young and Charleigh Hayes feel good about their game record, as well as their coach, Mrs. Hanley. 

During their homecoming game, they won 8-0 against Clark Montessori. While interviewing Charleigh Hayes and Layla Young, Charleigh Hayes said, “Every single game we get a little bit better, and we learn something from it.” Their homecoming game was one of their best games, and it was not as intense as other games.

They faced one of their most challenging opponents twice this season and lost both times 0-3. Mariemont is the only team that the girls soccer team has lost to. 

Aside from their losses to Mariemont, the team has been realizing how to use the field. They have now improved on what they can do to be successful against difficult opponents.

At the start of the season the team was clumping together and not using the whole field. They also struggled looking up and finding teammates. Though they “were barely playing as a team” at the start of the season, they have made progress to get to where they are today. “We all work together really nicely,” Charleigh Hayes said.

A few team traditions have led to their success. That includes boosting up their confidence and even just a simple recognition for doing something good in the game.

One of their routines includes a gum cup. Each player will chew their own piece of gum before the game and then spit their piece into a cup. The MVP of the game gets the cup. Apparently, the gum cup actually “smells nice” according to Layla Young.

Another thing the team does is whenever they score a goal, they come together and give each other high fives to celebrate. Layla Young stated that this “boosts up our confidence” after a goal.

This year, the team is pretty small compared to last year’s roster of 20 players. Now, they only have 13 players on the team, so they are unable to have an A and B team. Since it is required to have 11 players on  the field, if 3 players are absent, then they won’t have enough for a proper team.

Overall, the team has had a great season with major improvements over the last few weeks. This year has been going really well with only 2 losses, a total of 3 ties, and 7 wins.

“I’m proud of our team for working together, not giving up, trying their best, and just giving all they have,” Layla Young said.

By: Ariana Chaudhry and Sylvie Gumlaw