Kickin’ It Off with No Mercy

The FHS girls soccer team started off their season very strong, even after varsity starter Kylee Bastie was injured and was unable to play during the beginning of the season. This led underclassman Anja Francis to step up and play her position as midfield. The team worked around this inconvenient situation and started off the season winning 10-0, forcing the “Mercy Rule” against De Soto. They also won third place in the Windsor Tournament. So far the team’s record is 7-4.

This year the team does not have any seniors, so juniors Alayna Buxton and Abby Parson had to step up to be the leaders of the team. These two have been playing soccer basically since they could walk, so they are capable of the responsibilities of being a captain. Alayna and Abby both agreed that the major duties of being a captain are to encourage your teammates at all times and to always set a good example for the underclassmen. Abby added that they have improved much as individuals and as a team since their freshman year. Most of them have played for many years together. Some advice that Alayna and Abby would give to the underclassmen is this: “Always try new things during practice. Practice is a time that you are allowed to make mistakes, so try to step out of your comfort zone; it is the only way you will get better.” Their main goal for the season is to become more competitive on the field, so that is what they have been working on the most during practices. “I want us to be the team that everyone else worries about playing,” Abby mentioned.

Comparing last year’s record to this year, the team has definitely come closer and worked harder to improve. Abby mentioned that after playing soccer for twelve years, she still sees herself improving throughout the season. She said that she is now able to read the field a lot better, so she is able to make plays for her teammates. Alayna felt the same way; she said that she was able to be more of a team player this year compared to her past years. They both strongly encourage their teammates to have fun with the season because eventually it will be over.