Goals for the girls

From club sports to school sports

by Trinity Whiteford staff writer

Sports, especially in high school teams, tend to bring people together and allow them to create lifelong friendships and bonds between the team. Within creating bonds, you also create unforgettable memories with the team and coaches. Players like seniors Elizabeth Thaxton and Camille Rucker have put their all into the sport and are planning on finishing strong for their last season.

Both Thaxton and Rucker got their start playing soccer as kids. “I’ve been playing since I was little, and then I moved up here and played club and high school,” Thaxton recalls. Club soccer is like an All Star Team, meaning that it’s basically the “top performers” from multiple schools and multiple teams. Thaxton mentions that club soccer tends to be more competitive compared to high school soccer, “but I feel like I’ve created a closer bond with the high school team,” she reflects. Her biggest achievements are ones she shares with the team: “forming a good bond with teammates and getting good exercise,” Thaxton notes.

Much like Thaxton, Camille Rucker has also had a memorable soccer career. She has been playing since she was three years old and also started out with club soccer before moving up from there. “I played club up until I could play [in] high school,” Rucker says. “Club is definitely more time and insane dedication.” With all of her previous soccer experiences now under her belt, Rucker has had many personal successes and achievements, including “getting to know people better and also getting better at the sport,” she explains. “Our team really shares a special bond that I think most other teams don’t have.”

Besides bonding through team practices, Thaxton and Rucker have enjoyed triumphs over West, as well as excursions to other schools in various matches. “We just went this past weekend to Portage [and] got to stay with the team, which was really fun,” Thaxton recalls. “During club, we go all the time, but in high school, that was our first overnight [trip].”

For both teammates, joining Central’s soccer team was a no-brainer, especially with the close bonds they formed with their teammates. “I think that everybody’s really just kind and supportive, and we have a good year coming for sure,” Thaxton expresses. “It’s definitely worth joining the team because everybody’s really cool and just nice. The teams are just good.” Rucker advises newcomers or people considering joining the team to be bold and take the leap. “Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, and just know high school isn’t really as scary as it seems,” she elaborates. //