Freshman Addison Coval’s heart pumped, and her fingers tingled as she waited to see if she would get the call up to varsity soccer.
“I remember … being really nervous, and then they asked a couple of us to go up on the varsity team, and that’s when the adrenaline hit me,” Coval said. “I was like, ‘Oh, maybe I do have a shot at this.’”
While Coval was nervous at first, now that she has played on varsity for a while, her mindset regarding playing at that level has changed. Specifically, she appreciates the advice that older players have given her about soccer.
“It’s really, really fun,” Coval said. “All the older players are really helpful with my positioning on the field.”
Similarly, senior defender Emily Torok has identified how Coval’s on-field IQ helps her play at the varsity level as a Freshman.
“She’s really good when she has an opportunity in the space … she will just dribble up with force,” Torok said. “It’s almost like she becomes a midfielder in that position.”
While Coval is a talented playmaker, she is also proficient when it comes to one-on-one situations.
“If a forward’s coming at her, she’s really good at reading where they’re going to go,” Torok said.
While Coval is talented, she still has had to learn a lot from the upperclassmen on the team. Coval admires the leadership role that senior midfielder Abby Davis has shown. Davis has taught her how to act and how to play at the varsity level.
“I look at her work ethic, and it definitely helps me think about where I can be in the future,” Coval said. “She’s a good role model on and off the field towards me and the other freshmen.”
Another aspect of playing at the varsity level that Coval enjoys is the team bond.
“We’re a very connected team,” Coval said. “We have a lot of pasta parties, and we have a really good time with each other.”
Varsity head coach Michael Andrews has also noticed the bond that the team has.
“That closeness among the girls is something very, very special,” Andrews said. “In 10, 20 years, nobody’s going to remember their record. They’re going to remember the experience and the friendships and the things they got out of it.”
However, when it comes to Coval, Andrews wants her to be a better leader with the team. He expects more from her specificity in communication, which will help her be confident in telling other players what to do.
“I expect in the future … [that she will] really practice her leadership skills on the field by being vocal and making sure everything in the back line is organized,” Andrews said.
When she first joined varsity, communicating with the other girls was tough for Coval, but now, she has improved as she has talked with the other varsity girls on the team.
“Being a freshman, sometimes it’s nerve-wracking to tell the older girls what to do,” Coval said. “But, I’ve learned that it’s an aspect of the game that you have to have.”
Finally, as she has throughout her first year on varsity, Coval tries to learn as much as she can, from both winning and losing.
“Obviously, we don’t have the greatest record this year, but we’ve already improved so much from our first game to where we are now,” Coval said. “We do try our best, even if we win or lose.” and we do try our best even if we win or lose,” Coval said.
