TEAM OF THEIR OWN: Girls soccer club taking steps to be varsity sport

PHOTO BY JENNIFER DOWNS

DALTON  There’s strength in numbers.

There’s also strength in patience and gentle persistence.

It helps when you have a passion for something, an open-minded audience and willing supporters.

Back in middle school, Hannah Austin had a passion for soccer and she was hoping she could continue the sport in high school.

Unfortunately, Dalton doesn’t have a varsity soccer team.

Austin spoke to then principal Steve Watkins about this and Watkins, who is now the superintendent, had recommended she put together a presentation for her cause. She did. That got the ball rolling.

The conversation continued with administrators and the school board. Then Austin approached Watkins again – this time with friends who wanted to play and those who just wanted to see Dalton have a soccer team.

“I just really wanted a team to play for,” Austin said. “At the time I didn’t have a team. Let’s see if we can put something together. I didn’t think it would be too hard.”

Austin’s dream has come true – for the most part. The Dalton junior is among four juniors who are playing soccer. But her vision still has a ways to go. Austin and other soccer players — including younger sister Eliana Austin — are playing in a club which is not affiliated with Dalton Local Schools. They practice in a field thanks to Living Water Church. They bought their own uniforms and provide their own transportation. Community members and businesses have stepped up to help. They play other school teams – and they’re winning games.

Players range in age with the youngest being eighth graders and most of them attend Dalton or are homeschooled or attend another local school. The club is off the ground and doing well. It needs to continue for two years before the school board will consider making soccer a varsity sport at Dalton but the club is taking the right steps toward the goal.

Both Dalton High School Principal Zach McFarren and Athletic Ethan Kagy as well as parents and other soccer teams have shown support to the Dalton Girls Soccer Club, said Aaron Austin, Hannah and Eliana’s dad, who coaches the team with Dustin Steiner and Dave Daniels.

They had enough high school players for a summer rec league and enough committed for a full fall season.
Players are Hannah Austin, Rayna Boyer, Brooklyn Fink, Sophie Stutzman, Samantha Lehman, Lola Nussbaum, Eliana Austin, Luci Fratena, Sofia Steiner, Christina Lehman, Lexi Mast, Anna Thompson, Liz Cardenas and Gracie Steiner.

“She continued to meet with him and talk about it — it’s been building to this point,” Austin said.

The district and athletic department will start to evaluate the club after two years, Watkins said in an email.

“The decision will come down to the Dalton High School Athletic department, High school principal and the Superintendent to consider if we can take it on as a sport. If it can show long term sustainability we would consider having it as a varsity sport and it would fall under OHSAA guidelines,” he said.

The Austins’ four kids have all enjoyed soccer and played in rec leagues over the years. They’re also busy with 4-H and other activities.

Aaron Austin credits the players in the club with being dedicated and self-motivated. They work hard practicing nearly every day. He said Jason Boyer from Living Water helps to keep an eye on the team as they’re warming up and doing drills after school and practicing like a varsity team would. Their Facebook page shows win after win against other schools including Wooster JV and Tuslaw, and Rittman in a scrimmage.  They tied Triway and lost to Waynedale’s varsity.

Scheduling games against other schools is a challenge because they’re not affiliated with a school and it’s also a challenge because the team doesn’t have a home facility so they rely on and are grateful to the other teams for hosting and paying for refs, Austin said.

“All schools playing against us are investing in us,” Austin said. “It’s been nothing but positive from all the other community teams. They’re excited to see Dalton getting a team. It’s been very positive. The coaches reach out to us. That’s been awesome. The girls are working hard every day.

“It’s providing an opportunity for them to play. I love watching them become a team and care for each other and happy to be a part of it. … We’ve gotten a lot of positive support from people.”

Hannah Austin said she has enjoyed soccer since she was young. Her sister, Eliana is a freshman at Dalton and her brothers are in seventh and second grades and they all enjoy soccer. Even if she doesn’t get to play for Dalton as a varsity sport she is grateful for the team and her teammates and she hopes future players will get to play on a team affiliated with the school.

“Part of me thinks ‘I can’t believe it’s actually happening’,” she said. “To finally get it. I’m excited we have an actual team to play for.”

She said everyone was nervous for the first game and after winning it she said there was noticeable relief on everyone’s faces.

“It was so exciting,” she said.

Everyone is starting to figure it out and the team practices every day, she said. She said she also likes to practice on her own.

Why a passion for soccer of all sports? Austin enjoys the game and being part of a team.

“I like running and it’s more than just running … and being active,” Austin said. “Also being part of a team and learning who we play and growing close learning more about each other. I like that.”