It was only a few weeks after we got back from our soccer trip to California that the next phase of soccer started. High school soccer begins on July 15 and Reese had a few days of tryouts before Callie finally returned from GSP and entered the mix. Callie was excited to start her senior year and Reese was hoping to make a big impact as a freshman. When the dust settled Reese made JV and Callie was one of 11 seniors on varsity.
The season always starts off quickly with the Bluegrass State Games happening the first weekend after tryouts. This year was a little bit more involved in a good way because the Henry Clay boosters decided to have a tailgate at the fields. We had three teams playing over two days so it was great to have a central location for food, hydration, and socializing.
It's always an interesting weekend because the girls have had only a few practices and are still getting to know each other in some cases. That's true for the parents as well. Of course there are quite a few girls who know each other well and are just happy to know they will be spending a lot of time together over the next couple of months.
The next mile marker for the preseason are the East-West games hosted by Boyle County. Claire was only home for a week or two this summer but she made a point of driving down to Danville to watch both the girls play. As you can see they were more than delighted to have her there. They were also happy because by this time both girls had been named captain for their respective teams. It is based on player votes and coach confirmation, and for both girls it marked the second year in a row they had earned this leadership position for their respective teams.
Both Callie and Reese constantly end up playing friends of theirs during the high school season. In this instance Reese had matched up against her friend Ella and the Lexington Catholic Knights. Reese and Ella haven't played with or against each other for five years or so and it was great to see them together like this. Henry Clay won the game in case you are keeping score.
Among other things, senior year means a whole lot of pictures of this large group of senior girls. Callie not only has played with all of them over her high school career, but she has played with some of them since she was in fifth grade. And in the case of Janie Lakin, it goes back to when they were six years old on the Sting. In short, there's a whole of memories packed into this photo.
When Callie was a freshman we saw the senior girls early in the season wearing floaties and did not understand. Fast forward to Callie's senior year and we know that it is all part of a water gun senior assassin game that requires them to wear floaties or goggles to stay safe and in the game. This was not a short commitment since one of the winners, Janie Lakin, continued this well after the soccer season ended.
Another senior tradition results in a big picture hanging on the fence by the home soccer field. Fortunately one of Callie's friends got a picture of her by her poster as they were heading to a home football game. Note the floaties as Callie was still in the game at that point. Callie certainly enjoyed going to more home football games this year. But what was even better was that she and others went to more boys' soccer games and that resulted in bigger crowds of students attending the girls' soccer games. It was great to see all of the sports supporting each other.
This year added another twist to the soccer season because Ella Abraham had returned to Lexington as a first-year medical student at UK. Medical school is hard, but her Lafayette ties are strong and her former coaches convinced her to join their coaching staff. Her official title was Director of Operations but she was primary a JV coach. It was fun because we got some great insights into the Lafayette squad and she was on the sidelines to watch Reese and Callie play.
If nothing else, Callie and Reese know they are loved and supported by family and friends. Aunt Katie made a trip down to Lexington specifically to watch the girls play and to spend time with us. The girls love when she is in town and as this picture shows, Katie loves being with them. And she got to see some great games, which is always a plus. Katie is very fun to have in the stands as she is not afraid to be vocal and show her bias when her nieces are on the ball.
These three might be categorized as super fans. They came to almost every single home game and were loud and energetic in their support. Hope and Kylie didn't play soccer but loved watching Callie on the field. Frances played at Henry Clay for her first two years so knows the game and the players. It was sweet to see them seeking Callie out after every game to give hugs, high fives, and just some love.
And of course we can't forget the countless games these two have gone to long after their own daughters have left for college. The great thing about Kirk and Kelly is they are going to show their support but are also ready to break down the game and talk specifics about the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Then there are the ultimate super fans. It is possible that these two have attended more soccer games in more extreme weather conditions than most. But seemingly nothing stops them from being on the sidelines to support their granddaughters. This fall they were in Lexington for the last games of the regular season. In the second of two game nights they saw Reese score a goal to seal a win against LCA. From Sport's reaction you might have thought Reese just won the World Cup.
And in the night cap of that LCA matchup they witnessed Callie scoring the winning goal as well. Sport was beyond excited for this one as well. There was no doubt among people in the stands who these two were related to based on their cheering.
Callie has always loved high school soccer because it meant she was playing with girls across the years. When she was a freshman she looked up to the older girls and appreciate how they treated her and she has been paying it back ever since. Abby and Taylor are juniors who Callie has played with for three years and they have developed a great supportive friendship on and off the field. And for posterity's sake, this picture captures the infamous 6-7 trend of late 2025.
No comments:
Post a Comment