Whether their games are home or away, the varsity girls soccer team has had a very successful record and reached new heights. With a current record of 14-2-2, the girls soccer team has overcome barriers and brought pride to the OH community.
“One of my favorite moments of the season has to be our crosstown game against Oswego East on April 29,” said junior Destany Luna. “The game was important to us as it was dedicated to Sean Fader. Winning the game showed how dedicated we are as a team to accomplish our goals.”
The team has worked hard to win their games, no matter the location or time. Aside from having an impressive record, they have also achieved new goals never accomplished by the girls soccer team before.
“My favorite moment of this season was when we won the Plainfield North Classic Tournament for the first time ever. Making it past group play was an accomplishment in itself, so winning the whole tournament shocked many and really increased the team’s confidence,” said senior Grace Braun.
This record-breaking season has not come without its struggles, however, as the team has had to overcome physical and mental barriers to reach success. The girls have pushed through crushing injuries and gut-wrenching losses.
“Some barriers we have to overcome are the physical tax this sport takes on our bodies. It’s a contact sport that requires lots and lots of running, so after four games in a week, our bodies are pretty tired,” said Braun. “Luckily, we do lots of recovery at practice and are encouraged to continue the recovery process at home.”
With only two losses on their record, the team has put in hours of hard work and dedication to their accomplishments on the field. One of the most essential ways that the girls are successful on the field is their individual game preparation. Each girl has a different routine before each game, helping them feel confident and excited for the tough battle ahead.
“I prepare for games by listening to music throughout the school day,” said Luna. “One team tradition that we have is our team stuffed animal. This year, our stuffed animal is Ricky the Rhino. When we have games, the player who stands out the most in that game gets Ricky.”
The team frequently posts on Instagram after their games who won Ricky the Rhino. Preparation isn’t only individual, as the team works together before and after games to learn from their mistakes and improve in the future.
“We have been working on improving our game by watching films, [holding] team meetings, training, etc, and the collaboration, effort, and dedication to improve and learn from previous games is beyond what I was expecting from them,” said Head Coach Gaspar Arias. “Every game we play, you will notice the improvement and relentlessness from the team.”
Aside from being a very talented group of individuals, the team also has a noticeably strong team chemistry that lifts up all players, no matter the outcome of the game. The girls on the team see each other as friends, not just teammates, who are always there to lend a helping hand.
“One of my favorite moments of the season was winning the Plainfield tournament,” said freshman Analia Ortiz. “It was just such an intense game between us and Glenbard West [and] it was such an exhilarating moment winning the tournament and being able to celebrate with my team over this huge win.”
The future looks astoundingly bright for the girl’s varsity team and subsequent teams to come. Everyone from the players to the coaches knows that the program is set up for success and will continue to make OH proud.
“I believe this team is setting a high standard for the future players. The culture we are building, the chemistry and trust of everyone on the team will help this program bring success in the upcoming years,” said Arias.
The official varsity girls soccer athletics page includes their schedule, record, roster, and more details for fans.
My name is Sasha Pankuch and I am a junior here at OHS. This is my first year with 42Fifty too. I am very involved here at OHS; I am on the board of Student Council, I play the saxophone in the Panther Marching Band, and am a member of multiple honors societies!
