Originally introduced to soccer by her parents at the age of three, freshman Maddie Fanning, now playing left forward, has found comfort in the sport.
“My parents talked to me, wanting me to play. All my friends were playing, so I was able to make some of my friends,” Fanning said.
Joining the high school team connected Fanning with a close-knit community, allowing her to grow her passion, despite her initial anxiety towards the new environment.
“In the beginning, obviously, I was a little nervous but everyone was great, everyone was very kind,” Fanning said. “It’s a very good community, so after a couple of practices, I felt like I belonged.”
Notably, Fanning notes that the environment of high school varsity soccer required adjusting and perfecting techniques.
“I mean, obviously, I knew it was gonna be a little more difficult,” Fanning said. “I think I just had to get used to the fact that the girls were a little bigger. But we’ve been practicing, and I remember our coach showed us how to protect the ball.”
The help of coaches and mentors has allowed Fanning to improve. The community of teammates is what makes her feel welcomed, enabling her to grow as a player and as a person.
“I was a little nervous interacting with the coaches and players in the beginning, but once I started talking to them, they gave me a lot of feedback,” Fanning said. “ They showed me a lot…and have honestly just been there and encouraged us so much. Our seniors, too, they’ve just been so helpful, and encouraged us so much…It made the atmosphere really great.”
Fanning contributes her own successes, and also team successes like winning the PIAA 3A state championship title, to her teammates’ community-like feel. Her most memorable moment of the season was the girls’ first playoff game.
“That first playoff game was a great way to start the playoff season, and it kind of showed us what the playoffs are going to be like,” Fanning said. “There were so many people watching. I remember a lot of our friends were there, and it showed us how it’s going to be a great season and great playoffs.”
