With the weather getting warmer that means spring sports have officially started. The girls soccer team is coming into the season unranked but are ready to get on the pitch. The Westside girls soccer team are seven time class A state finalists as well being the district champion in 2023. The girls had a rocky last season but have many newcomers that will bring fresh talent. 

Junior Nora Johnson has been on the varsity team since freshman year and is one of the team’s best contributors. She shared how the team is preparing for tough opponents. 

“We are learning to work with each other,” Johnson said. “And we are learning how to use our strengths together.”

Senior Lizzie Nilius is one of few seniors on the team. With the heavy senior team in the previous season they are now graduated, which leaves only few seniors and many open spots to build a new team. Nilius explained what the team’s biggest strengths and weaknesses are. 

“Our biggest strengths as a group is that we are good players and we all get along well,” Nilius said. “I would say one “weakness” we have would be that we are a young team, people may see this as a weakness but I see it as an opportunity.”

The girls soccer team is under a new head coach, Nathan May. May was previously the assistant coach and now has stepped into the role of being the head coach. He expressed how the transition has been like stepping into his new position. 

“Seamless. It’s a great group of players and characters, and there is continuity in the staff with Kirsten Smith who is the varsity assistant and I, as well as two great additions in Josue Rivas who is also the varsity assistant and Randall Novotny, the JV coach,” May said. “I think we’ve struck the right balance between changing things that needed to change, and keeping things in place that make sense.”

Every team has different specialities which set them apart from the others, but every team wants to be dominant in all positions on the field. Many players of the soccer team have been working in the winter on making progress before the season starts. Johnson shared what she thinks the team’s biggest strengths and weaknesses are from what has been seen so far. 

“I think our strength is that we have a lot of really talented players,” Johnson said. “But our weakness is that we have only eight returning varsity players.”

There are many great teams in class A that give great competition to Westside including Lincoln Southwest, Marian, Lincoln East, and Kearney, who are the top four coming into the new season. Nilius shared how the team is preparing to face these tough opponents. 

“​​As we get closer to our tough games we are preparing the way we play,” Nilius said. “Since we are so young we are all learning to work together which is a very important piece in preparing for these games and season.”

There are many challenges that the team faces as they go through the season, and some are bigger to get over than others. May explained what he sees as the biggest challenge this year. 

“Having faith in the process and ourselves through the ups and downs that will inevitably occur throughout our season,” May said. “ And overcoming some key positions on the field where we are short and have players that will have to learn their positions quickly.”

Many of the players also play soccer year round at their clubs. Playing year round allows them to progress and keep working on their skills before the season for high school starts. Johnson explained how she has improved since last season. 

“Our culture is much better,” Johnson said. “And we are all more accountable for being there for each other and for practices.”

Nilius also shared how she has improved since last season. 

“Compared to last season I think that all of us know we are there to have a good season,” Nilius said. “Everyone is there to compete and win games which helps us a lot. It  is also a completely different team due to our 12 seniors graduating, so I think people are looking forward to the new environment.”

There are many returning players but just as many new girls trying out. This allows coach May to watch and analyze the new talent and get a first impression of the newcomers. May explained if there are any new players that could make an impact.

“Yes, a lot of new players will make really big impacts. We only have eight varsity returning players, so we are depending on the young inexperienced ones to make big impacts quickly,” May said. “They are more than capable of doing it. Our inexperience doesn’t affect how talented we are.”

While teams have their goals, players also have their own personal goals that they set for themselves. Johnson expressed what personal goals she set for herself this upcoming season. 

“I personally want to score lots of goals,” Johnson said. “I also want to have lots of assists.”

Nilius also shared what goals she set for herself for the season.

“My goals for this season are just to be positive and keep a fun environment for the underclassman,” Nlius said. “I want to be a leader on and off the field.”

The girls soccer team has made 27 state championships appearances. It has been proven that they can do great things if they play well and work hard. With many new girls the team is vital to build a good relationships with one another and find the right rhythm. Coach May shared how he feels about the team’s potential this year. 

“I think the team has a lot of potential, I think we have some of the best individual attacking players in the state, mixed with some very experienced upperclassmen that have experienced winning games at state and beating top level programs,” May said. “As well as some very talented unproven at the high school level younger players that I think will come in and do a great job. I think talent wise our rosters stack up very well with the competition.”