Girls varsity soccer has many returning players that were key to the team’s success the past year including six returning seniors. Four players will also be continuing on to play soccer at the collegiate level. Ryley Nolin, Sylvia Fehr, Georgia Wimmer and Kaley Heinz are going to be playing at University of Missouri Kansas City, Augustana, Iowa State and Concordia respectively.

Having returning seniors is typical but head coach Nathan Moseley believes this year is different.

“Every season we have at least a couple of players who plan on playing soccer in college. It is rare to have four that are at such a high level. They bring a level of skill that raises the bar for everyone else on the team,” Moseley said.

Ryley Nolin has been a key piece in the team’s success throughout her three years at Westside. Going into her senior year she has committed to play soccer at the University of Missouri Kansas City a division one school.

Signing is a big deal for any player and has led her to work even harder.

“Signing has definitely been a sense of motivation for me to not only become a stronger individual player but also a stronger leader,” Nolin said.

Leadership is a big theme for this years team, setting an example to set up long term success is important to Nolin.

“This year as a senior I want to set a good example for the underclassmen so that they can see what it’s like to be a part of the program and what roles they will have to fulfill when they are upperclassmen,” Nolin said.

Nolin’s and the returning senior’s determination to lead and set an example has not gone unnoticed.

“Not only are these four seniors talented, but they have the best leadership that I have had in 10 years. This truly is a very unique blend of talents, intelligence, and leadership in this senior class. They hold everyone accountable…including themselves,” Moseley said.

Having most of the returning players be upperclassmen, Nolin believes it’s up to them to lead the team at the level they have been.

“With basically all of our returners being upperclassmen this year’s encouragement and leadership will have to come from all of the returners by setting a good example for all of the new underclassmen,” Nolin said.

Coming into the final season of her career the seniors on scholarship want to end their high school careers on a note that makes them turn back the yearbooks.

“We want to end our last high school season off in a way where we can look back at it and be happy with what we accomplished,” Nolin said.

While signing is a major accomplishment for any players, it has a track record of causing players to be complacent, but none of that is present with this year’s squad.

“I don’t think that the fact they are playing next year really impacts their drive for this high school season in a positive way. However, during some seasons, it is harder for those that have signed to focus the last month of high school soccer. It is more of a distraction than anything. However, I don’t see any signs of this with the current senior class,” Moseley said.

Ending a successful career is bittersweet, but when Nolin and her teammates look back on what they accomplished they want to be satisfied. According to their coach, this year’s team is uniquely special and will be trying to prove that throughout this season. While their legacies don’t end here, they want to have their time at Westside to be thought of as a success.