As the calendar turns to 2012, the Lady Wolves soccer team is getting ready for their season, a season that they hope to cap off with a State championship in April. The Lady Wolves are entering this season with a new head coach, Carley Phillips, a former wolf herself that helped lead the Lady Wolves to the state title in 2002.
“I had a wonderful experience here at Plano West, and it is an honor and a privilege to be back as coach,” Phillips said.
The Lady Wolves, who lost in the first round of playoffs last year, are making it known that they have one expectation this year, and will do whatever it takes to accomplish it.
“Our goal is State,” senior Karson Keogh said.
One advantage the Lady Wolves have is their sense of family, from practices to games they work together, and for one main cause. Off the field they hang out, goof off and are always joking around with one another.
“We are all really close and tight knit,” senior Julie Shindler said. “We care about each other so much.”
This team takes the role of family to another level with two sets of sisters on the squad, senior Logan Beal and her sister, sophomore Londyn Beal, and junior twins Brooke and Casie Ramsier.
“We always have so much fun together,” junior Casie Ramsier said. “And being able to have a tight connection on the field is really useful.”
With six seniors and many of the girls having been on the team since their freshman year, this looks like one of the most experienced teams in their district which includes Allen, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Hebron, Marcus, Plano and Plano East.
“I am so excited to see what this group is capable of,” Phillips said.
Phillips, after winning a State championship as a West player, went on to have a successful college career at SMU in which she missed just two games during her four year span as a Mustang. Prior to becoming Lady Wolves head coach, Phillips was the head coach of junior varsity and assistant to former Lady Wolves coach Jennifer Grubb. In her only season as junior varsity head coach last year, her team went undefeated.
“It is awesome having Carly as a coach because she went through the whole process of high school soccer,” junior Brooke Ramsier said. “Plus she knows what it means to be a Plano West Lady Wolves soccer player.”
The team understands that wins will not just happen but are ready to work hard to be successful and to become one of Texas’s best.
“My goal is to become a better soccer player and help lead my team to State,” senior Maddie Everhart said.
Many of the Lady Wolves are also preparing for college soccer as senior Logan Beal will be attending Auburn University next year as will both Brooke and Casie Ramsier the following year. Senior Briana Rene will be attending Dallas Baptist University next year and senior McKina Michael will be attending Southern Assembly of God University next year. Juniors Taylor Barg and Taylor Jackson are planning on attending SMU, and junior Sparky Fischer will be playing for the TCU Horned Frogs. Junior goalkeeper Claire Wheatley will be attending the University of Illinois after graduating.
“West is really helping me prepare for college because high school soccer is a lot like college soccer,” senior Logan Beal said. “You practice every day, and I am with my teammates all the time and it is a lot of work, so when I go off to school I think I will be prepared.”
The Lady Wolves are excited for the upcoming season not only because what they believe they can do on the playing field, but also of the friendships that they have made during their time as a member of the team.
“I expect to come closer together not only as friends but as teammates, which will lead to domination and our goal of State,” senior McKina Michael said.
Lead by a former West player herself and armed with talent, the Plano West Lady Wolves hope to make this a season to remember and hope to be playing in Georgetown, Texas on April 21 for the chance to be crowned 5A State champions.
“I am looking forward to seeing the girls play with a winning mentality and have a winning season,” Phillips said.
