After losing Coach Beyers to pancreatic cancer the season was flipped upside down. We were left with a new coach, who had their own different way of coaching us. Sure we have learned to adapt to all different playing conditions like the field condition, the weather, and different formations. But the thing us players didn’t expect was having to adapt to a new coach half way through the season. Don’t get me wrong, I liked Coach Kelly. She really wanted us to succeed on the field.

For us as a team, we were trying our hardest to play for Coach Beyers each and every game that we were forgetting to play for ourselves and it took us a couple games of consistent loss for us to realize that. After realizing it though, we were back to being the dominant team we were before our sudden loss. While most of us were happy with the return of a dominating team, some really disagreed with Coach Kelly’s decisions. The ones who disagreed, were ones that played under Coach Beyers for previous years and knew the formation by heart or their positions they grew up playing were changed to one that “would benefit the team more”.

Our season started making a turn for the better once all the players accepted the changes. We were winning games left and right and had an actual shot at being playoff eligible again. With the hard work of all the players day in and day out we achieved playoffs. Unfortunately, we lost in the first round to Keene. Although we didn’t make it far in the playoffs, we were all really satisfied with our season. We were able to overcome all the odds against us, that not all teams could have done. Just like that our season was done and we were left with a lot of questions. Would Coach Kelly stay? What would next season bring? Are we going to have a coach? Will we have Summer trainings? So many questions with no answers in sight.

Sophomore year the whole Nashua High School South girls soccer community was in for a hard season. Sure each player has had a difficult season, but for most of us this season wouldn’t compare to any other. It started off like any other season, tryouts the week of August 19th, it’s easy to remember because it is always the week of my birthday. Wednesday would be the day that teams are decided and the rest of the week would be practicing with your appointed team. One thing that was noticeably different was the presence of an assistant coach, Coach Kelly, for the varsity team. Very unusual for Coach Beyers to have an assistant, but for everyone this season was off to what seemed like a normal start.

The varsity team went on to play in our yearly tournament and came out winning the games we played. We were excited to see where the rest of the season was going to take us. We were constantly working hard as a team. It was one of the few teams I have been on where we each line connected on the field, which was a huge strong suit for us. But, it was all about to change.

Tuesday September 4, 2012, during 3rd block, an announcement came over the loud speakers of the whole school, “All players apart of both girls JV and varsity soccer team please report to the auditorium”. Some of us just thought our game time was getting changed, while others thought we were in trouble. Once we arrived to the auditorium we were faced with our principle, athletic director, Coach Kelly and JV Coach Watson. All but Coach Beyers.

That day we found out Coach Beyers had pancreatic cancer and had passed away. In shock and with emotions high, we now understood why Coach Kelly appeared this season as an assistant coach. Coach Beyers knew he wouldn’t make it the whole season coaching but couldn’t give up the love he had for the sport so he brought along his former player whom he trusted with his team. Coach Kelly was now appointed head coach for the remaining of the season.

With a season still left to play, we were faced with the hard reality of taking the rest of the week off to greave our loss or to play for Coach Beyers. Ultimately it was left up to the players when it probably shouldn’t have been. We decided to play our scheduled game that day, for Coach Beyers. Upon taking the field, they recognized the work Coach Beyers had done through the 30 years of coaching at Nashua High School South. Each player on the team was still filled with all different kinds of feelings, most of us bringing those feelings on the field. With an aggressive game, our minds were not in the state to play a game and no matter how hard we tried the pieces were not coming together. We lost the game which really made our emotions worse because now we felt like we let down Coach Beyers.

The next day our practice was cancelled for a day to gather all our thoughts and emotions, something we should have done instead of playing the game the previous night. Once we regrouped and began practicing again we had a different flow, we were missing something. It felt like our once tight knit team lost a section of stitching and we didn’t know how to seal that hole. It was truly hard to say if we would be able to regroup and make it to playoffs like we once thought we could do.

In light of all the emotions, both JV and varsity teams banded together and did a bake sale with all proceeds going to Pancreatic Cancer Awareness.

Playing soccer all throughout middle school and continuing playing for a club team seemed like a joggling act for me and my family. Once high school starts club teams switched to just Spring season so players could dedicate their time to their high school teams. Fortunately due to the age cut offs I was able to qualify for a different age bracket allowing me to play both high school soccer and club soccer at the same time my freshman year. This was a huge privilege being able to play for two teams. With the flexibility meant the joggling act continued.

Freshman year I was placed on the JV team. While I was still on a team I was disappointed I did not make Varsity. I looked at it in different angles and finally decided it would be the best for me because I had more playing time. It gave me the motivation to work harder in games and practices both with the school team but also the club team. I looked forward for the practices with the Varsity players so I could be pushed to different limits.

During the winter time I continued playing soccer for Coach Peters indoor team. It was just another way for me to continue pushing myself to become a better player. Playing indoor is nothing like the outdoors. The ball is quicker, the games are shorter, and you ultimately have to play smarter. My stamina was pushed to different levels, and my brain began looking at things a lot differently. It was adapting to playing one more step ahead, and thinking of what the opponents next move was. It was something that all previous coaches talked about doing, but actually seeing it happen is a completely different but good feeling.

Spring rolled around and soccer still continued. Soccer was literally becoming a year long sport for me and I was not disagreeing with it at all. I continued playing with the club team. My goal was to make Varsity the next season and I did everything I could to make that happen. In the middle of summer high school training camp begun, I attended every session and made sure to push myself farther than I had before to make myself noticeable to the coaches.

My hard work played off, the coaches noticed my desire and motivation for the sport.  The next season with my high school team I made varsity. My goal was achieved and I couldn’t have been happier!

From playing with Cobras and switching over to World Cup I always remember one tournament more than any others. It was always held on what seemed to be the coldest Saturday, either before or after Halloween. Players and coaches were allowed to dress up in costumes as long as it did not affect the ability and safety for players to play, which is why so many of us remember this tournament so well.

While playing with the Cobras, this tournament was always a struggle to get 11 players to sign up, despite the number of players we actually had on the team. Even with a struggling team we typically made it to the playoffs but we very rarely had the drive, devotion, and energy to see the finals. Playing in this tournament with World Cup was a much better experience. We had more than 11 players giving us a better chance of making it to the finals and giving us the energy because we had the players to rotate in and out of the game when needed.. The team had the drive and devotion to this thriving club to make it to the finals and take home the trophy.

For me, I always looked forward to the next tournament in hopes it would be better. Because every time this tournament came around I was always sick as a dog. Barely able to play the sport I loved during the season I loved. When playing with the Cobras I had to tough out the sickness and play, especially when we didn’t have a large amount of players to begin with. I always felt like I was more of a burden for the team instead of the reliable, strong player I was. For World Cup, it was more flexible. I was able to play what was comfortable for me. Out of the whole tournament I would probably play a total of one whole game, while at Cobras I had to play all the games, taking a larger toll on my body and the sickness I was trying to fight off.

The last year World Cup did the tournament I decided I would sit it out. With the past record of being sick every tournament before I did not want the sickness again and thought the best way to void the sickness was not doing the tournament. Low and behold during the time the tournament was held, I was in fact still sick. So it wasn’t a tournament haunting me. But boy was I happy I wasn’t on the field playing this time.