Teamwork, Strategy, and Dynamics at PHS

This season, the Polson High School Lady Pirates girls’ soccer team focused on developing skills and teamwork. Throughout the season, the highs and lows have not deterred the Lady Pirates from their commitment to teamwork. With the addition of eighth graders to the team and leadership under their second-year head coach, the team went through a period of adjustment to evolving strategies and training methods. 

The soccer team practiced every day, and during the summer, they practiced twice a day, once at 6:00 a.m. and again at 4:00 p.m. The practices consisted of passing, dynamics, and scrimmages. Vivian Grainey, a senior who has been on the soccer team since her freshman year, mentioned, “When there’s no game coming up, we’ll scrimmage at the end, it’s cool.” When asked about having eighth graders on the team, Grainey replied, “I think the hard thing is we have a six-year age gap on our team. There are eighth graders that barely have a care in the world, different journeys, different spots in life.” 

However, the players believe that teamwork benefits the team in many different ways. Grainey said, “In soccer,  if you don’t have teamwork, you’re not gonna win the game.” One example of this is when the Lady Pirates beat Hamilton. Grainey said, “We were beating them, and at the end of the game, they were just tearing each other apart. You just try to stay positive when you play and communicate. And if things aren’t working, try and find other things that do work.” This focus and belief in teamwork reflect the team’s strategy and mindset both on and off the field. 

The Lady Pirates prioritize communication and maintaining a positive attitude. Freshman Katherine Bartel, a first-year player on the Lady Pirates team, shared her thoughts on the season. “Teamwork is something we do really well. We’ll tell each other, hey, someone’s behind you. It sounds like we’re yelling at each other on the field, but it’s in the best of intentions.”Bartel also shared some of her highlights, saying, “It’s been really fun to hang out with my friends and sister, since she’s on the team,” showing how important social connections are within the team. Bartel has many hopes for her future on the Lady Pirate Soccer team, saying, “I hope that people will say, she’s gonna be a good upperclassman player.” Although Bartel is just a freshman this year, she aims to grow as a player and teammate, and support her other teammates as she gains more experience on the field and in life. 

Heather Howell, returning head coach, said, “Going into this season, it was nice to have a year of coaching under our belt and to better know what to expect.” Howell also has a handful of highlights this season. She said the team grew steadily over the course of the season, both in terms of chemistry and overall development.