SPORTS
SPRING SPORTS
2020 soccer seniors miss chance at district win streak
Kyle VanCompernolle. File photo
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Josh Vandeveer. File photo
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Rowan Janis. File photo
The Lady Elks soccer team have played in the district final game every year since 2011, winning six times and hold a streak of four straight district trophies. The team graduated eight seniors last season, but still had high hopes for the 2020 season, with girls soccer being one of the most successful Elk sports programs since becoming a varsity sport in 1996. “Every season presents a different puzzle in that as a coach I need to figure out where each player would serve the team the best and which formation all of the players would fit into,” said Elk head soccer coach Andrea Krakow.
Three seniors were ready to take to the pitch this year, before the COVID virus ended high school sports and the Elks quest for a fifth straight district title and even more. Representing the Class of 2020 were Jenna Wilkinson, in her fourth season on varsity, Shelby Scott, playing her third varsity season, and Rowan Janis, slated to be the keeper in her first season on varsity, but with three years in the net on JV. Wilkinson had started at striker or outside middle in previous years and would have done the same this season. “Jenna is a young lady who needed some encouragement and “pushing” to work hard and to deliver her best performance,” said Krakow, “by her junior year she earned a starting role and seemed to play with more passion and intensity. She liked to be held accountable, almost as if it was a challenge.”
Scott stood out early in her career by displaying leadership qualities on the JV team as a freshman, according to Krakow. “Shelby is definitely a kid that makes me laugh every day. She has a “fun, go lucky” kind of personality but she also knew when to get more focused. Shelby would go take field and demonstrate such energy and enthusiasm while going after the ball. She did not let others stand in her way. Shelby is also a very compassionate person despite how aggressive she may go after the ball.”
Janis played behind four-year varsity keeper Drew Antcliff but was ready to claim the net this season. “Rowan is a hard worker and has become more vocal, trying to direct her defense, with each year of playing. I do wish I would have had the opportunity to coach Rowan at the varsity level,” Krakow said.
The soccer program had drop-in sessions throughout the winter, January through March, once a week, followed by three weeks of conditioning. Players were able to get in a full first week of practice outside on the fields for two hours, which is the time period Coach Krakow uses as the basis for tryouts. There were 28 players coming out for the team this season, the number of players with varsity experience tallied two seniors, two juniors and five sophomores. Krakow met with each player individually on Friday after the first full week of practice to discuss how they did during tryouts, then the season came to a halt. The final team members had not yet been set.
Despite being a young team, a large number of the girls played for club teams during the fall, which gave them invaluable experience and more tools for each of them to bring to the high school level. “Several girls did meet at the Kewadin Complex to play at least one time prior to the stay-at-home order being in place, to me that shows they really wanted to play,” Krakow said.
“If and when the social distancing bans are lifted, I plan to offer drop-in sessions, or I may even be able to get a few other teams together for scrimmages to allow the seniors a chance to play this last season.”
The three seniors robbed of their final chance on the soccer field weigh on Krakow’s thoughts, but there will be future seasons of Elk girls soccer to be played. Like all of the Elk spring sports teams, the 2020 soccer squad will be remembered as part of the season that never was. Krakow summed up her thoughts with a sentiment echoed by other Elk coaches.
“I am sad to not be coaching this spring and I am really sad for my seniors as well as all of my girls. We can just hope that circumstances will allow fall sports to take place and that kids can get back to being kids.”
Three seniors were ready to take to the pitch this year, before the COVID virus ended high school sports and the Elks quest for a fifth straight district title and even more. Representing the Class of 2020 were Jenna Wilkinson, in her fourth season on varsity, Shelby Scott, playing her third varsity season, and Rowan Janis, slated to be the keeper in her first season on varsity, but with three years in the net on JV. Wilkinson had started at striker or outside middle in previous years and would have done the same this season. “Jenna is a young lady who needed some encouragement and “pushing” to work hard and to deliver her best performance,” said Krakow, “by her junior year she earned a starting role and seemed to play with more passion and intensity. She liked to be held accountable, almost as if it was a challenge.”
Scott stood out early in her career by displaying leadership qualities on the JV team as a freshman, according to Krakow. “Shelby is definitely a kid that makes me laugh every day. She has a “fun, go lucky” kind of personality but she also knew when to get more focused. Shelby would go take field and demonstrate such energy and enthusiasm while going after the ball. She did not let others stand in her way. Shelby is also a very compassionate person despite how aggressive she may go after the ball.”
Janis played behind four-year varsity keeper Drew Antcliff but was ready to claim the net this season. “Rowan is a hard worker and has become more vocal, trying to direct her defense, with each year of playing. I do wish I would have had the opportunity to coach Rowan at the varsity level,” Krakow said.
The soccer program had drop-in sessions throughout the winter, January through March, once a week, followed by three weeks of conditioning. Players were able to get in a full first week of practice outside on the fields for two hours, which is the time period Coach Krakow uses as the basis for tryouts. There were 28 players coming out for the team this season, the number of players with varsity experience tallied two seniors, two juniors and five sophomores. Krakow met with each player individually on Friday after the first full week of practice to discuss how they did during tryouts, then the season came to a halt. The final team members had not yet been set.
Despite being a young team, a large number of the girls played for club teams during the fall, which gave them invaluable experience and more tools for each of them to bring to the high school level. “Several girls did meet at the Kewadin Complex to play at least one time prior to the stay-at-home order being in place, to me that shows they really wanted to play,” Krakow said.
“If and when the social distancing bans are lifted, I plan to offer drop-in sessions, or I may even be able to get a few other teams together for scrimmages to allow the seniors a chance to play this last season.”
The three seniors robbed of their final chance on the soccer field weigh on Krakow’s thoughts, but there will be future seasons of Elk girls soccer to be played. Like all of the Elk spring sports teams, the 2020 soccer squad will be remembered as part of the season that never was. Krakow summed up her thoughts with a sentiment echoed by other Elk coaches.
“I am sad to not be coaching this spring and I am really sad for my seniors as well as all of my girls. We can just hope that circumstances will allow fall sports to take place and that kids can get back to being kids.”
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