More than a sport
Photo provided by: Carla Higgins
The girls varsity soccer team’s season is off to a successful start, as they are 4-1-1 and, for the first time in seven years, beat Lake Mary High School on Nov. 16. “It was an explosion of emotions,” senior and co-team captain Madison Jones said. “It was great for the school and it’s always nice to have bragging rights over Lake Mary.”
As the girls varsity soccer season progresses, the team has gone 4-1-1, currently placing them as the number one rank in the 7A D3 district. In hopes to uphold last year’s title of District Champions, the team started off the season strong and have won four of their six games.
Arguably the most notable of the team’s victories was their win over the Lake Mary Rams on Nov. 16. The girls traveled to Lake Mary High School and, in a nail-biting game, beat the Rams 1-0.
“This season so far has been our most successful in all the years I’ve played,” Forget said. “Beating Lake Mary was a big success, given the fact that Lake Brantley had not beaten Lake Mary in over seven years. Being the first team to do that in such a long time was a great accomplishment. The play that I felt changed the outlook of the game against Lake Mary was the build up to the goal that we scored early into the game.”
In order for any team to be successful, they must have good relationships and a positive dynamic. These ideals are fostered by senior co-captains Abigail Ferris and Madison Jones.
“Lake Brantley has given me the opportunity to not only play soccer, but has also allowed me to make long lasting friendships with teammates and coaches,” Jones said. “We are all so encouraging to one another, both on and off the field. There’s a lot of pressure to perform, but as a captain, it is important to keep the team focused, while also making sure everyone is having fun.”
Fellow teammate and senior Sascha Forget has also felt the stress of her senior season, but the bonds that she has created with her teammates over the years have made the hard work and pressure worthwhile.
“Soccer has been a huge part of my life,” Forget said. “I’ve played for almost 15 years and I grew up in an environment heavily influenced by soccer. The sport itself has impacted my life by keeping me in shape athletically, keeping me busy and teaching me how to balance my responsibilities inside and outside of soccer and creating trust, patience and other valuable communication skills through bonds with teammates and coaches.”
Although the season is already about halfway over, it has been one of the most memorable and will continue pushing the team to their highest potential.
“Soccer has been my happiness since it was introduced to me and I will be closing this chapter of my life involving playing soccer, but it will always be a part of me,” Forget said. “I will forever hold onto the memories and friendships I’ve created in my athletic career.”
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Senior Makayla Martindale is a third year staff member and Editor-in-Chief of The Brantley Banner. Her involvement at Lake Brantley extends past The Brantley...
