Senior Series - Anya Stupica

Over the past four years of my time at Hawken, I am pleased to say that being a member of the girls soccer team has brought about some of my favorite memories. Walking into preseason my freshman year, I was pretty nervous. I knew only my older sister and a few girls from previous club teams. The anticipation of playing against girls four years older than I was something new. But knowing some girls definitely made that feeling less scary. Immediately, on the first day of preseason, I was welcomed by these girls and was quickly able to connect with the team. Coming in that year, you could easily tell the team was such a tight knit group of girls. It felt like we were all sisters. I mean, we practically were with the five pairs of sisters on the team, but that just made our team bond even stronger. As seniors graduated and new freshman joined, that feeling never lessened. The group of girls I have grown with are like sisters to me. We support each other no matter what, and that's what makes us a family. If I've had a rough day at school, there will always be a teammate to cheer me up at practice or an inspirational note from my cleat buddy to pump me up on game day. This team is a family, from laughing with each other in the locker room till we can't breathe anymore to our annual Patterson's trips or team sleepover, you wouldn't get this unity anywhere else. 

Aside from the many memories off the field, the most memorable ones I've had on this team have been on the field playing with my teammates. When we step out on the field, the desire all eleven of us have to win unites us as one. That is one thing I love about playing on a team; you are all there fighting with each other for the same goal.

Although it is always nice to win games by multiple goals, my favorite games are the ones where we battled till the end and were in it till the last second. To me, that excitement is like no other - hearing the parents roar in the stands, the coaches yelling from the sidelines, and the players waiting to catch their breath till the final whistle. These games are my favorite not just because of the adrenaline rush you get when there are ten minutes left and you're down by one goal, but it's the perseverance we all show on the field. Perseverance is pushing yourself till the very end; even when all odds are against you, you are determined to win. Over the past years, I believe that is a key attribute we have developed on this team. One game in particular that stands out was last year against Mayfield. Into the second half it was tied 1-1; it was a hot Saturday morning and a physical battle the entire game. We were determined to win, and we all fought till the final whistle. You could see the drive we all had to get another goal. It was a back-and-forth game, but we kept pushing the attack in the remaining minutes. In the last 40 seconds, we were able to put one away. That is how I define perseverance on our team; although it was a battle, we had the determination till the last second to get that win. Another recent game that stands out to me was against Beaumont. We knew going into the game that it was going to be a fight. At half time we were up 2-1. They were going to come out strong and ready in the second half, but we knew we had to exceed their energy to hold our lead. In that half they came back to tie it 2-2. A bit later, we were able to get another goal with 15 minutes still remaining. During those last 15 minutes, they were pushing their attack in our defensive third, getting chance after chance to score. I'll be honest, by no means was it the prettiest soccer you have seen our team play those last 15 minutes, but tackle after tackle, we fought. And most importantly, we fought together. We worked with each other to hold our lead and adjusted to play more defensively. Every one of us on that field was determined to not let them score, and we persevered till the very end to win. These are just a few examples of the perseverance and determination our team has shown over the years. And these are two valuable aspects of the game I have developed while playing high school soccer that I will take with me as I continue to play.

With one last season of Hawken sports left, I want to close out my time with high school soccer continuing to learn from my teammates and coaches. I'd like to thank all the coaches I've gotten to work with, especially Coach Jenni, Maggie, and Kat. They have brought me to where I am not just as a player on the field but also as a person; they have helped me grow and improve daily. All and all, playing soccer at Hawken has taught me what it takes to be hardworking, disciplined, mentally tough, and a team member and a leader on and off the field. These moments and lessons I have experienced are life lessons that I am forever grateful for and will carry with me as I move on from Hawken. Go Hawks!!!