Women's Soccer Emphasizes Positivity
Chloe Leckrone
A few losses will not bring them down. While the first games of the 2019 season may not have gone exactly as the Manchester University women’s soccer team would have hoped, team members and coaches stay positive and reflect on what this season means to them.
On Sunday, September 8, the team played against Albion College. The game resulted in a loss, 3–0. Team members and coaches still felt positive about their performance in this game, even without a win. The coaches feel similarly. Head Coach Christine Johnson feels that the team has “progressively improved in each game.” Assistant Coach Josh Routte believes that the team is on the right path to winning their first conference game on Oct. 5.
The team’s game against Thomas More University on Wednesday, September 11, was seen as an important stepping stone in their progression this season. Although the final score came out to 8–0 and left the team feeling discouraged that night, as sophomore midfielder Kaylin Bartholomew put it, “We learn from our losses and move on to the next game.”
Despite their losses, the team perseveres. Senior center midfielder Katie Green believes the team has a “more positive atmosphere” and “better chemistry on and off the field” this year. Green has noticed that, compared to past seasons, this year the team is quicker to move on from their mistakes and less likely to bring others down after defeats.
Coach Routte has noticed a change in attitude as well. “With all my years of college soccer, this has probably been the closest family atmosphere within a team I’ve seen,” Routte said. “The chemistry is obvious.” As Green makes her way through her final season at Manchester, she reflects on what she has enjoyed most about her time on the soccer team. “I’ve played soccer since I was four years old,” she said. “Knowing that it’s my last ride in competitive soccer is kind of bittersweet.”
One of her favorite parts of being on the team has been her experience with Coach Johnson. “Having a coach that is so passionate makes being here a lot easier,” Green said. Her goal for the rest of her final season is to keep the team’s positive attitude going as the season continues.
First-year forward Alex Parr is in quite a different position than Green. Parr has begun her first season at Manchester and is excited to “contribute more positivity” to the team. Being a first year, Parr has little experience with her new team, but she is enjoying learning how to play with the team members and figuring out how she can contribute. Parr’s goal for the season is to get a win as a team.