See what Coach Megan Adkins and some of her players had to say about the first-ever Frederick Douglass girls’ soccer season.
Jared Peck, Real-Time Sports Reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader and co-founder of SoccerintheBluegrass.com, visited all nine Lexington high schools and spoke with coaches and players about the upcoming season. Over the next several days, SITB will release the notes and videos from those interviews that were used for the Herald-Leader’s preseason preview: Girls’ soccer: Big players, big games, high stakes in Lexington
KHSAA link: Frederick Douglass schedule
Coach Megan Adkins
We knew it was going to be a challenge, but things are starting to come together. We’re on our field now. The fieldhouse is open. We’ve got some good numbers for the girls. We’re going to be very young, so that’s obviously a huge challenge. Going against some of the juniors and seniors across the city is going to be tough. But the girls have owned up to it and they’re ready to go and we’re all in it together, so, there’s no way but up for sure.
They came out here with the spring workouts and they’ve been here through the whole thing. They haven’t questioned us one bit. Some of these girls have never played soccer before and they’re coming on board and we haven’t had any kind of issues with that. They’re working together and having a great time. Everybody knows each other now which is a good thing. When they came in, no one knew each other, so we really did start from ground zero. They’re growing into a family fast. It’s going to be great.
We’re going to try to develop as a team, that’s the biggest thing and just grow all areas as individuals, as a team. These kids are so young that it’s going to take them a while. We’re going to be a much different team come October than we are in our first game Aug. 15. The Fayette County Spectacular is going to be a much different showing than when we come into the district tournament.
We’ve got some really strong freshmen. Our freshmen class is going to carry us I think. We have Emily Coke, we have Kaitlyn Tudor, we have Kaitlyn Brock and we have our freshman goalkeeper Maliya Crump who are going to be a huge part of this team. … It’s pretty exciting.
They were asking me about since I’ve played in the state finals and coached in the state finals ‘what’s it like? What’s it like?’ And I said, I’ll tell you in a couple of years, you’re going to tell me what it’s like. We’re going to get there, I promise you that. I don’t know how long it’s going to take us, but we’re going to get there.
Our schedule is tough. We’re not going to shy away from anybody, that’s for sure. We’re up for the challenge. Some games, we’re probably going to take our lumps, but that’s all part of the process.
Lindsey Hager, sophomore
I think it’s going to be a good season. We have a bunch of freshmen that put their hard work out there. We have a couple of sophomores, which is good. We all work together as a team and we do pretty well together.
Maliya Crump, freshman
We’ll get better over time, but it’s going to take time.
Emily Coke, freshman
I’m just proud of the girls because they are coming out here with good attitudes and they’re not complaining and we’re doing good. We’re going to have to keep encouraging and always give our best effort and, hopefully, all the girls will do the same.
