Two Blue Devils

 

This picture says it all. Hold on tight, because once soccer season starts it moves quickly and you wake up and it's Halloween. The girls were excited for the season ahead and all the possibilities it held. We were very interested to see how the season played out with some great seniors and some exciting new freshmen on the team.

As a junior, Callie had two years of experience playing with the seniors and she had some great relationships with them. Ava Wilson, a fellow captain pictured here with Callie, was a positive force on and off the field. One of the captains, Natalie Hoten, was another great friend and confidante for Callie. Callie has known Avery Allen, the other captain, since they were both little and it was crazy to see them out there together.

And of coourse there were her junior classmates, not all of them pictured here, who she had played with for years before high school. They were all poised to be on varsity together, something they had dreamed of for quite some time.

One thing that we have always enjoyed about high school is the opportunity to play against and see your club soccer teammates. Reese was very happy to see her friend Sophie when Henry Clay played Dunbar. These two have a special bond, even when they are not on the same team. We can't wait to see what the next several years hold for both of them.

One of the only good things about playing Lexington Catholic is getting to see numerous club teammates, such as Abby Grote. However, this year it was also great because Henry Clay tied Catholic 1-1 and Callie had the assist on Avery Allen's goal for the Blue Devils. It was the first time Catholic had not beaten an in-city opponent since 2019. Although it wasn't a win it was still incredibly sweet.

The girls know that we love and support them, but it is even more special to see the other members of our community who show them the same love and support. Their main super fan is Sayre Combs who shows up for every home game and even some away games. He always makes sure to stay after to talk to the girls and let them know they played well. We all need a Sayre in our lives.

If they didn't live 900 miles away these two would be sitting next to Sayre at each game. Nana Banana and Sport made their annual fall excursion to visit and catch the girls in action. Luckily this year there was no bad weather leading to cancellations and they got to see all the games they came for.

One of the best things about the junior varsity experience for Reese is that she got to expand her friend group and met several girls from one of the other middle schools that feed into Henry Clay. It's never a bad thing to know more people in the year leading up to high school, especially when they are quality kids like these girls are.

The girls had another visitor before the season wrapped up. Aunt Katie made the trip down to see the girls play and this time around John and Sarah stayed in town for her visit. She loved watching them play since she hadn't really had the opportunity to do that before and before she left she was already talking about coming back next year.

As we said at the beginning, the season went by quickly. And as often happens it had a variety of ups and downs. The good thing is that for the first time in three years the Blue Devils had a winning record at 9-7-3. Though they finished as runners-up in the district for the second year in a row they won their first regional game in convincing fashion. Lexington Catholic ended our season in the regional semi-finals but the team played tough all year long. Callie led the team in points and co-led the team in goals. Not a bad precursor to her senior season.

The Henry Clay junior varsity squad had a great year as well. They dominated their opponents more often than not and by season's end it was clear that Reese was one of their stronger players. Her coaches gave her the 110% award and praised her work ethic and positive attitude. We couldn't be prouder of her and her sister.

When the banquet comes to a close everyone is trying to get pictures to capture one last memory of the season and the team. We are glad that we got this picture that captured the four captains. Callie is really going to miss all of them as players, but especially as people.

The Rhythms of Summer

 This summer was a little unique since it was the first time we didn't have camps planned or other scheduled activities for the girls. That meant they were going to have to find ways to be productive and/or entertained. Reese jumped at the chance to be productive with the promise of some payment for her efforts.

 

The landscaping in the back yard has been in need of assistance for years, but we especially needed to deal with three dead boxwoods.

The initial request was for Reese to do some weeding, but with some encouragement and some tools from Sharon Chrisman, the weeding soon turned to full out boxwood removal. Easier said than done of course, bu Reese was relentless and over the course of nearly six hours she got the job done. She did earn a good amount of money along with some sore body parts, but nothing she couldn't bounce back from.

July 15 this year meant more than just the beginning of Callie's junior year soccer season. Reese was joining the Henry Clay ranks as well because, like her sister, she was a trapped 8th grader. Because almost all of her teammates were freshmen her club team didn't have a fall season and Reese was able to play on the JV team.

It was great for the girls to be a part of their respective high school teams, but it got even better just a couple of weeks into the season. Callie was named a varsity captain along with three seniors and Reese was named a junior varsity captain along with a freshman and a sophomore. We are incredibly proud of both girls for their leadership on and off the field. Although we both knew they have what it takes to lead it was wonderful to see this recognized by their coaches and teammates.

The season heats up quickly with the Bluegrass State Games happening shortly after tryouts. The girls enjoy getting a chance to play right away but it isn't always the best indication of how the season is going to go. It was a hot one this year, but the team looked pretty good overall.

One of the things that also happens in the beginning is that the coaches let 7th and 8th graders practice and play with the team until their club season stars. Reese played with the middle school team for the Bluegrass State Games which meant she got to play with a lot of her classmates, which she enjoyed. It's amazing how many girls are going to be coming up the ranks with Reese over the next several years.

A big milestone that happened before the beginning of Callie's junior year was the much awaited removal of her braces. She had them for a solid two years and was very happy to get them out of her life before she started the second half of her high school journey. We can check that milestone off now.

One cool event that the soccer team held this year that we hadn't done before was Flicks on the Field, where the girls got to watch a movie while hanging out on their soccer field. They brought candy, had popcorn, took pictures, and maybe watched a little of the movie. A good time was had by all.

Another summer staple of ours is Ballet Under the Stars at Woodland Park. It's been years since Callie performed in the pre-show but we always go when we remember it is happening and our schedule allows. This year Reese brought her friend Ella and Callie planned on meeting us there with some of her friends.

It takes some getting used to have Callie pop in and out with friends while we are doing something we always used to do together. We are trying to get used to the new rhythms of having an older teenager in the house who is slowly but surely spreading her wings and becoming more independent. In the end it is fun to watch, especially when she seems to be making mostly good decisions.