Soccer Season Wrap-Up

Cat is just so fun to watch when she's playing. On top of being a

phenomenal goal-scorer, she is incredibly physical (as you can tell in the pictures),
she's a great ball-handler, and she's incredibly fast.

One of my favorite moves is when she's coming at defenders and she gives the ball a

little kick, outruns the defenders, then gets the ball again - basically, passing it to herself.

I also love how she out-maneuvers opponents. And though it's awesome that she

never backs down from a confrontation, it does make me nervous sometimes.

SEASON STATS:
Season goals: 50 (#1 in Utah, #17 in the country)
Hat tricks this season: 8

Season average goals per game: 3.1 (#1 in Utah, #8 in the country)

CAREER STATS:

Career goals: 142 (#2 Utah all-time scoring record)
Career hat tricks: 21
Career average goals per game: 2.4

Off the field, I love that soccer has helped Cat develop relationships, practice

mentoring, and become a thoughtful leader. She's pushed herself nearly to

the breaking point, physically and emotionally, and she's felt more excitement

and camaraderie than in any other setting I can think of.

I'll be forever grateful to Cat's coach, the assistant coaches, her fellow players,

and all of her incredible soccer family!

Senior Night:

Jack had fun running the school flag back and forth in front
of the spectators whenever a goal was scored. He did this for
a few of the home games.

Selfie with my all-time favorite soccer player after watching her last game
as a high schooler. It was an emotional game for me, and even more so for her.

Somehow Cat and three younger friends on the soccer team (including the goalie)

began a tradition of performing the Just Dance dance of Shakira's "Waka Waka"

before every game. Everyone had so much fun with it and I loved seeing the videos

of their dancing posted in the team photo album. Then, they did it at the school talent

showcase, so I was able to see the whole thing for myself, and it was awesome!

Pre-Game Ritual

Showing off their moves for the whole school.

The post-season banquet was lovely. Cat and the other captains were really excited

about the gifts they had for Coach: a scrapbook of funny pictures (mostly of Coach)

they took throughout the season, and a custom miniature bust of him. Both gifts

very much appreciated.

Coach was very kind, and characteristically humorous, during his spiel about Cat.

The two of them have a great relationship, and I appreciate

the quality wisdom and advice he's shared with her (I think accumulating a large

bank of wisdom and advice must be one of the biggest benefits of working with

teenagers for your entire career). He's coached her for 4 years, and taught her multiple

classes, and I'm confident they will stay connected after she graduates.

I've been expecting that I'll have a surge of emotions when Cat graduates from high

school at the end of the year. What's caught me by surprise is all of the emotional "last"

milestones of Senior Year - the last time I'll watch her play soccer on her home field,

the last time I'll watch her in a school performance, the last time I'll attend a soccer

banquet, and on and on and on. I really need to keep a pack of tissues in my purse.

I sure love this girl.