UW SOCCER STAR
SUMMER YATES BY BOB SHERWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
S
ummer Yates, a senior standout on the University of Washington soccer team, did not arrive at her elite skill level in a conventional fashion. Summer grew up near the Columbia River in Pasco, Wash., 230 miles from Northwest soccer-central Seattle. Lewis and Clark may have extensively explored the area, but it’s still mostly uncharted territory for soccer recruiters, greatly limiting her soccer exposure. She also did not get formative full-out training from experienced coaches. Her father, Blake Yates, was her coach and they both agree that Blake knew nothing about soccer before he assumed that role. What he passed onto her was what he learned watching the renowned Barcelona team and nonpareil attacker Lionel Messi. Messi turned out to be a providential archetype because Summer, like Messi, is of smaller stature (5-foot-4) but through skill development and hard work she was called up to the U.S. National teams and has become an indispensable Husky. She dreamed of being a Husky ever since she visited the campus when she was 10-years old. Former UW women’s coach Lesle Gallimore took notice of her and followed her career as she twice earned first-team all-state honors at Pasco’s Chiawana High School, won the state championship with PAC NW club team and her national U-16 experiences. Summer has played in 56 games – 49 starts for the Huskies entering this season with 15 goals and 12 assists. She was an All-America secondteam selection last season. Here’s a 10-question insight into Summer Yates as she ventures through her senior (maybe not last) season:
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