With the season in full swing, the varsity girls’ soccer team is proving that winning takes a lot more than just showing up on game day. After talking with a few of the players, it’s clear that this group is focused on staying close as a team and keeping their heads on straight during a busy school year.

For senior Jacqueline Leader, the biggest goal is making sure the team stays on the same page. She’s focused on everyone getting along both during the game and when they’re just hanging out. The friendships are a huge part of the team’s culture. Anna Ford, another senior, mentioned that the coaches and captains work hard to make sure the team feels like a positive place to be.

When it comes to who leads the way,The whole team all pointed to Abby Sealy as a standout. For Sealy, her personal goal is pretty simple but important: she just wants to stay positive and be kind to her teammates.

No team wins every single time, but these players don’t let a loss get them down for long. Their record right now is 4 to 3 to 3 and instead of getting upset, they get to work. Lauren Higdon explained that the team often meets up after games in “Pitt’s room” to talk through what happened and watch film to see what they can fix.

Ford made it clear that they win and lose as a group. By sticking together and refusing to point fingers, the team stays strong even when things don’t go their way.

“We don’t really blame one person.” Ford said. 

Being a student-athlete isn’t easy, and everyone has their own way of handling the stress. Leader says she makes sure to take some time for herself so she doesn’t get burnt out. Higdon and Ford both stay on top of things by staying organized and getting their homework done at home so they can focus on soccer. Sealy has a similar plan, finishing all her schoolwork right after the bell rings so she can move on to the game.

While everyone has their own personal hopes for the season like Sealy wanting to score more goals or Ford wanting to leave a good legacy before college there is one thing they all agree on. When asked what they want most this year, the answer was the same across the board: “To beat Heritage.”

With how much they care about each other and how hard they’re working, the lady Cougars look ready to take on whatever comes next.