As another school year goes by, we have more graduates leaving the Salida High School girls soccer team. The spotlight shines on the captains who have led their teams with good attitudes and skills. From the first whistle to the last goal, they have commanded the team this year. Leaving a lasting impact on the game and team. We celebrate Eva Capozza, Hayden Bevington, and Kaia Wright and all their hard work and dedication they have brought to the soccer team throughout the years.
The season has been good for all of them, but there have been a lot of injuries this year, which has been kind of a struggle for the team. “We’ve been figuring out how to work together, it’s really just working over injuries at this point”, explains Capozza. Capozza was out with an injury for the first two months of the season. Her return to the game was a huge and memorable moment for the team. As Wright says, “Just playing with Capozza again after she was hurt every game with her has been pretty memorable.”
After Capozza got through physical therapy and could pass a ball again, she practiced and they stuck her in the next game. She wasn’t supposed to play in that game, but she made her mark with a goal that set-up a huge comeback from her injury. Working through injuries in a team can be really hard, but the soccer girls have been pushing through it and making the best of what they can.
Being a soccer captain is a great achievement for all of the girls and they all have a lot of responsibilities that come with it. Bevington explains how much she loves the role by saying, “It’s just fun to be a captain of an all girls team.” Participating in an all girls team comes with its own struggles.
When it comes down to it, sometimes your team is losing and you need a captain to motivate the team. Wright explains, “Just staying calm and trying to boost the team’s energy instead of bringing them down.” It’s a big responsibility of a captain to bring people up when you might be struggling mentally yourself from the frustration of a game. It is hard, but it is essential to get the team back on the field with a good mindset.
The captains have all been playing soccer for a long time. It was interesting to hear what initially drew them to soccer. Capozza and Bevington have been playing since they were very young. Bevington stated, “I’ve been playing soccer since I could walk, like it was just a sport my parents put me in.” It’s great that her parents gave her that experience. Because of her parents’ foresight, she is now a very accomplished player and has developed such love for the sport.
Capozza explained her initial interest in the sport as similar to Capozza’s. “I’ve been playing since I was like six years old. Honestly, when I started playing club year, I started to realize, “oh, I’m actually really good at this. I like this sport.” and that’s when I really started to focus on that instead of other things.” Capozza has long had a dedication to the sport and has sought out leadership positions.
Wright was inspired by her brother’s love of the game. “I remember watching my brother play, because he’s always played since he was little, and then I’ve always just wanted to play, but he really spiked my interest,” stated Wright. She is very proud of herself for making it to the position of team captain thus showing her brother that she’s a great soccer player too. If you have a sibling, you probably know the feeling of showing your sibling that you can be just as great as them.
As these amazing senior soccer captains leave SHS, they will all be leaving behind their own legacy. Capozza’s leadership skills, Bevington’s kind and supportive demeanor, and Wright’s super fun personality.
