The young Emery Spartans girls’ soccer team will only be returning one senior this year, a strong defender and great leader, #2 Mollee Durrant. She will be joined by juniors #7 Jessie Childs, #10 Megan Stilson, #14 Molly Christiansen, #22 Hannah Farley, #4 Illyria Mason, #21 Elyssa Scott, #16 Ashley Mesler and #1 Kaicee Behling. The sophomores returning are #11 Daley Stewart, #15 Rorrie Powell and #19 Haven Huntington.
“We have a really strong midfield this year. These girls work hard and are learning to trust each other. I can’t wait to see how as a whole they bring the program up from last year,” said Head Coach Pennie Stewart. Stewart will be beginning her first year as head coach for the team and will be assisted by Abbie Christiansen and Dani Tuttle. Coach Stewart describes her coaching style as motivated and dedicated.
The team will be led by captains Mollee Durrant, Megan Stilson and Daley Stewart. When asked what the team has done to improve during the offseason, coach stated, “We started doing open fields in April and have pushed really hard with fundamentals. This prepared us for the Summer Games in Cedar City, the first part of June.”
“I believe all of the teams in our region are fantastic teams that will push our girls,” she continued before her expectations for the team. “To have team continuity, learn from their mistakes and to apply what they learn on the field. I find that leadership is best done when you include your team in the solution to current or potential problems, so I expect them to be problem solvers.”
Finishing the interview, Coach Stewart was asked what values she enjoys teaching the team. “We have a lot of new players that have little to no experience on the soccer field. If they work hard for the common goal, there isn’t anything they can’t do! Also, to be inclusive, if we want this program to grow, we need to be open to players and their potential.”