Each week Scouting out the Scouts will profile one successful athlete. Last time, we checked out Charlie Heydorn’s success.

The spring season of sports has finally begun, kicking off with girls’ soccer. A team with a rich history in our school with a state championship back in 2014, these girls are striving for that same greatness.

A young team full of 9 underclassmen began the season rather slowly but caught a groove in a 1-0 victory against Wauconda on Wednesday, pushing the girls to a 2-3 record.

Starting off a season, especially with such a young team, can be a very rocky experience. Whether that’s due to a lack of experience, not finding their rhythm yet, or pressure of a varsity game, there are many reasons to start off a season slow. But it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, and sophomore midfielder Lainey Tabor can handle that type of pressure to help make this team get better each game.

“I’m really proud to be a part of the team, and I want to do whatever I can to make our team as successful as possible. I don’t feel any pressure because I am surrounded by amazing teammates who all support each other and are in it together,” Tabor said.

Tabor, who was a member of the varsity team in 2021 as a freshman, has already shown that she can handle that pressure, as she scored the first goal of the season for the scouts and has impressed her coaches.

“It can be intimidating for underclassmen to find their role and place, but Lainey looks comfortable and a natural fit in either place. I think that’s partly to do with her experience, but also her willingness to learn, grow and ask great questions to the coaching staff during training and games,” assistant coach Steve Douglass said. “It’s been really impressive to see Lainey step in, first as a Freshman and now as a Sophomore, and work seamlessly with Seniors Emerson Waddle and Kathy Peterson-Ross in our midfield and Ashleigh Rupprecht as a forward.”

Her efforts on and off the pitch are not only seen by her coaches, but her teammates as well.

“Lainey is a huge offensive asset to the team. She is a very smart player and knows where to be and when to check to the ball always. I am excited to see what she accomplishes this season,” senior captain Ashleigh Rupprecht said.

The midfielder of a soccer team is like the quarterback of a football team. Everything flows through them and they’re usually the captains of the field. Seeing Tabor play so well as a sophomore at the midfielder position shows how special of a talent she truly is.

Make sure to catch Tabor and the Scouts take on Lyons Township this Saturday at 11 am at West Campus!