Harrisburg’s Girls Soccer Team has been able to start this season off with a record of 5-2-2. They have worked extremely hard for this success to occur. With the addition of a new coach, Eric Christensen, there has been a noticeable increase in effort and team achievements. Brooklyn Schillmoller, who is one of the captains on the team, said, “The program has changed a lot since my 7th-grade year. It’s a lot more serious than it was back then, and we are held to a higher standard.” Senior leader, Sydney Hage, explained that recently they “turned into a completely new team.” Twenty-three players have seen Varsity playing time including five seniors, two juniors, thirteen sophomores, two freshmen, and one-eighth grader; all contribute to a roster that has talent and depth. Coach Christensen's goal for the season was to use his past coaching experience to benefit the team; it is obvious that the team's new mindset and work ethic has brought them success.
For each student-athlete selected to the team, Coach Christensen provided a gift, a paddle with an inscription on it that explains our commitment to each other and our team's culture of “rowing the boat.” Rowing the boat means having an attitude to put the team above self. The oar says, “If someone falls down, pick them up. If someone falls behind, help them catch up.” This culture has brought the team close together, and as Brooklyn Schillmoller commented, “...it’s like one huge family.” Coach Christensen noted, “When you row the boat as a team, you can travel in a straight line to success much more quickly.”
Continuing their involvement, Brooklyn and Sydney have both decided to further their soccer careers in college. Brooklyn has been playing soccer for 13 years and is committed to the University of Sioux Falls. Sydney, who has been playing soccer for about 12 years and is committed to Augustana University, explained that Harrisburg Soccer has prepared her to play at the collegiate level as it has helped her become “more physically fit and mentally tough.” This fits with Coach Christensen's stated goals for the impact that he hopes to have on his athletes. He explained, “It is my hope that when they graduate from the team and high school, they are truly ready to take on life and all it has to offer them.”
“If you are thinking about joining high school soccer, do it,'' encouraged Hage. “It is a lot of hard work, time, and effort but the memories you will make with your team on and off the field are worth it.” Don’t forget to come and support the Lady Tigers in the playoff games starting the first week of October.