- April 26, 2024
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What’s been the key to this string of shutouts you have managed to put together?
The defense has really been helping me out, and everyone is really calm. No one is freaking out when they get the ball. Everyone else is able to stay calm, so when I do have the opportunities to get a save, I’m also calmed down.
As a senior, what were your expectations coming into this season?
My personal goal for the season was to win districts and get as many wins for the team as possible.
What kind of improvements did you focus on in the offseason leading up to this season?
I started to work out with a personal trainer, for softball more than soccer. (It) helped me get faster and helped me with my agility — so that transfers over (between both sports).
You’re going to be playing softball on scholarship in college. How did you pick up soccer along the way, and what made you see it through?
My mom played soccer when she was young, and so I tried out in middle school just for fun. I made it, played three years in middle school, came into freshman year and decided I would try it here, too. I fell in love with all the girls, and they’ve become some of my closest friends.
What’s been your impression so far of how the team has done?
We started off a little bit slow with a couple of struggles and injuries. But we’ve bonded and grown and come together as a team (lately) as well as individuals, and it’s really cool to see from my point of view in the back of the field.
Is there a particular game you have been looking forward to?
We play Olympia (on Nov. 18) at home. It’s a big rivalry, because they’re right across the street. Especially at our own house, we really want to beat them, because we didn’t win last year.
What’s been your favorite memory as a soccer player at Dr. Phillips?
My sophomore year was my first year on varsity, and we beat Olympia. We play for the “Friendship Cup,” so we won the Friendship Cup.
Every year you have a point where soccer is ending and softball is beginning — is that a difficult transition to juggle?
I’m kind of used to it. My freshman year, I struggled a lot with it, and sophomore year was just as bad. But (it’s gotten better) as I’ve matured, and the coaches have been really helpful.
How did it feel to sign a National Letter of Intent on Nov. 12 to play Division I softball at Hampton?
Signing the NLI was the most amazing feeling — in all the pictures I’m laughing and smiling, because I’ve never been so happy. To sign with my peers, it’s really cool, because I’ve played with a bunch of them before.
What went into the decision to choose Hampton over other offers?
Picking Hampton, because it’s in Virginia, it’s kind of like a little bit of an escape, but also it’s a Division I (program), and the offer seemed just really great. And the team there — I’m a good fit for their program.
What do you plan to study at Hampton?
I plan on kinesiology to become a physical therapist for special-needs children.
What’s the next movie you plan on seeing in theater?
Probably “The Hunger Games.”
What’s your dream car?
Jeep Wrangler.
Which are you looking forward to more — Thanksgiving or Christmas?
Thanksgiving, because I love food. I love to eat.
Where’s somewhere in the world you would like to visit?
South Africa. My mom went on a mission trip there two or three years ago, and she came back so much happier, with a new outlook on life. So I’ve always wanted to go and see what she saw.
What’s something people don’t know about you?
I was born deaf. I had tumors in my ear drums, and I had them removed.
