Varsity:
At this time last year, OHS girls’ soccer was winning the region. Although they may not have come as close this year, the team has still seen progress like never before. Of the 22 players on the team, 12 are seniors, making it very upperclassmen dominant. This however is no problem for the girls, as they are using it to their advantage.
“We have a lot of seniors on the team, so we’re all naturally friends,” said Callie Garraway, senior.
Having such a senior heavy team, however, can make the season a little more bitter than sweet for some.
“This is my last year here, playing for my team, and playing with these people,” said Emma Hesse, senior.
The girls reaching an age of seniority is very significant, as many of them have been playing soccer for the majority of their lives.
“I’ve been playing for around 14 years- I started when I was four years old,” Garraway said.
The passion within these girls has been there for a long time, and is often what motivated them to join the school team.
“I had been playing club [soccer] and I thought ‘Oh this is fun’ so I went and tried out for the school team and it is one of the best decisions I have ever made,” Hesse said.
It is not uncommon for girls to play both club and high school soccer; CCV is where 10 of these girls alone are coming from.
“Most of the girls on our team are from the same club, so it’s good that we are able to transition into high school,” Garraway said.
Many players point out that there is a big difference between club soccer and school soccer, with school soccer being a lot more physically and mentally demanding.
“High school soccer is a lot of commitment- you practice every day after school, and game days are long. But it’s all worth it,” Hesse said..
The girls do a good job of getting through the toughness together, and make sure to always have each other’s backs.
“I don’t let the bad things affect me because I know I have my teammates, and that way I can have fun at practice. Soccer is where I have found a lot of my best friends, and having my best friends around me just makes me feel like I want to be here,” Hesse said.
While the social aspect plays a big role in players’ success, there is always the challenge of being ready mentally too.
“Our team has a saying: ‘Flip the switch’ and we have a switch in our locker room that we actually flip when it’s time to mentally lock yourself into the game,” Garraway said.
The team makes sure that no matter what, they’re giving each other a positive experience during the season.
“When we’re warming up before games, we have the lights off and the music on, and we have disco lights too. It’s such a fun environment,” Hesse said.
In the end, it doesn’t matter who the player is, because every girl is proud to represent the OHS name the best they can.
“Being able to play for the school team and wear that OC Soccer jersey is such a fun experience.” Said Hesse.
JV:
The OC Soccer Girls’ JV team has also had an eventful season, with many bonds being made between teammates.
The girls share a common love of the sport, and are all filled with pride to be known as players for OHS.
“I love everything about being on the team: going to practice, playing games, and representing my school,” said Sydney Gregory, sophomore.
The team has formed connections, building trust and unity with one another..
“We communicate with each other, and we tell each other our feelings. We can also talk to coaches if we want, and that’s very helpful,” Gregory said.
Relationships between teammates are also thriving. The girls often have team dinners and even spend time with each other outside of school in order to strengthen their connections.
“We all have the same kind of personality, so practices are really fun. It’s very easy to bond with each other,” Gregory said.
The JV team is full of a great group of girls, and that allows it to be very united.
“Get out of your normal circles. Bond with everybody, not just a certain group,” Gregory said.
