With nine wins, one tie and only three losses, the girls soccer team has a positive outlook for the rest of their season. However, one player, Zoe Taylor (9), stands out for being the one and only freshman that made it onto the team.

Taylor has been playing her beloved sport since she was in early elementary school,

starting around eight years old. Although she was a ballerina when she was

young, soccer prevailed to be her favorite sport, and she has perfected her skills over the years. After years of different teams and lots of practice, Taylor tried out for the White Station High School girls soccer team with confidence.

“I wasn’t quite sure [if I would make it],” Taylor said. “Considering that I was the captain of the middle school team, I thought I had an advantage, but I was nervous.”

Middle to high school is a big shift for not only academic changes but also in athletics. However, that did not hinder Taylor’s commitment to the sport, rather it encouraged her to overcome that barrier. 

“It is definitely new,” Taylor said. “It’s not like eighth grade year [when] I was the strongest on the team. I’m back at the bottom again and it’s intimidating.”

Tryouts for sports are always intimidating but the new highschool atmosphere did not drive Taylor away. Even though she had years of experience, Taylor spent countless hours preparing for tryouts.

“I would say that I prepared myself pretty well,” Taylor said. “I practiced a lot.”

The shock of being accepted onto the team overwhelmed Taylor after the long and strenuous tryouts. The countless hours of preparation Taylor poured into ensuring her tryout was successful still could not have readied her for the surprise of being accepted onto the team.

“Honestly, I was just so tired; it didn’t really process that I made it onto the team,” Taylor said. “But it definitely hit a few days later.”

Making it onto a high school sports team is already a big accomplishment, but Taylor is proud of being the only freshman that made it onto the team. Though many may see being the youngest on the team as a negative, Taylor is excited to share the fruits of her hard work with the team.

“I’m proud because it shows my skill set,” Taylor said. “It’s very validating.”

Even though Taylor conquered the first hurdle of making it onto the team, there are still skills that she will learn and obstacles that she will encounter. She hopes that being part of a competitive team will shape her into a better player.

“I’m ready to continue challenging myself,” Taylor said. “I think being on the team will really help me [continue to improve].”

Taylor and her team are confident about the rest of their season. They plan to practice and work together to win their future games.

“Considering the teams that we’ll play, I’m pretty sure we have the skill set to win and have a winning streak,” Taylor said.