Sophomore captain leads young girls' varsity soccer team

(S, PSN)
It's not just strapping on those pads and cleats every February, and heading on to the field at game time. It's not just lying around through the winter, and coming out to win every game, without doing a single push up or lap around the thir floor during bad weather. Girls' soccer is a year-round commitment.
"[Soccer] isn't just a one-season sport,"coach Greg Watts said. "Girls are dedicated outside of school as well." Watts is coaching the varsity team and thinks they have the potential to go as far as the play-offs with a current standing of 5-2 and 1.
This is the team's first year with multiple freshmen on varsity; there are six freshmen on the roster, of which two are starting players.
"That is where the talent was," Watts said. "It is a young team, and we're trying to build for the future."
There are, however, some disadvantages to having such a young team. Freshmen do not have as much experience at the high school level of competition as some of the juniors and seniors.
"Experience makes a big difference," Watts said. "However, they have nothing to lose."
The team is also yount in terms of leadership. The captain, sophomore Melissa Westhoff, is already being looked at by division-1 colleges.
"She is very committed," Watts said. "She's not scared to get in people's faces, and she performs in the classroom as well as the field."
Having a young team has not caused any problems so far.
"At the beginning of the season, the expectations of the girls were clearly laid out and they have done well in keeping up," Watts said.