The 2025-2026 Shadow Ridge High School Girl’s Varsity Soccer Team, coached by Brian Lavoie, is a determined group that works hard, plays as a team, and depends on each other both on and off the field.
“The number one goal for the girls team is always that all the soccer players stay out of trouble, all of the soccer players stay eligible, they are good students, and we make the playoffs,” Coach Lavoie said.
There are big goals and expectations coming from both coaches and players in the soccer program. Teammates depend on each other on this team and are willing to work hard both on and off the pitch to comply with the team requirements.
“I know that when we’re in our groove, we like to play the ball to feet and just try to connect with our teammates, do our best to communicate with each other and create a good playing environment,” senior captain Harmony Taylor said.
The Girls Varsity Soccer Team enjoys playing together as a whole. Taylor is a senior captain here at Shadow and works to motivate and hype everyone up before and after games. When they are playing more difficult teams, they all have to pull through and be dependent upon each other and their abilities. They know they are able to rely on each other’s strengths to overcome their toughest opponents.
“At first, everyone said ‘Hi’ to me, which was really sweet, and nobody made me feel left out on the field, as everyone included me in drills and helped me throughout the whole soccer program,” junior Alaynia Kiesel said.
The girls team has a strong relationship, which allows them to connect with each other on the field and play successfully in games. Their thriving chemistry and shared love of the game help them identify as the strong team they are.
“My strategy for the team is to keep possession throughout the game and try to finish our chances that we get on goal,” Lavoie explains. “If the team is more defensive, we try to push up and get more offensive so we can hopefully score and if the other team is more offensive, then we drop back so we can be a little bit more defensive again.”
The way the varsity soccer team plays depends on their competition. This may include their playing style, speed of play, and whether they are up to trying new things.
“I try to help motivate others on the team the same way I do to myself before or after a hard game, by taking the lesson and learning from it,” Taylor stated. “Something happens, now we have to take it in and learn how we can revamp our playing style to accommodate that for the next game.”
The team is a dynamic group of individuals who all come from different club teams to play together and represent Shadow Ridge. The soccer community brings school spirit to the stands, from parents, teachers, and fellow students.
