Practically since she could walk, Lillian Stadnik (12) has been playing soccer. Like many other kids, Stadnik tried a variety of sports. The one she chose was the one she had started at the young age of three.
¨Growing up, I tried a lot of different sports, and soccer was the one that really stuck. You have to be physical and run around a lot, so it releases a lot of endorphins and brings a positive vibe to me,¨ Stadnik said.
Since then, Stadnik’s skills have only grown as she became center back for the High School’s Varsity team. Stadnik and her team made it to Semi-State last year for the first time in a while for CPHS Girls Soccer.
¨It was pretty cool that we got to be the first ones to take that path two years in a row. The type of leadership we had really helped us and directed us to get there,¨ Stadnik said. ¨We played really well. It just happened to be that that team was insane, that they won the last like 10 years in a row.¨
Stadnik’s dedication to soccer also helped her gain important life skills she could carry through to her job after high school. Stadnik wants to become a pediatric doctor, and soccer has helped her build important life skills that can transfer to her career.
¨It teaches you determination, and how to push through things mentally. I feel like my mental health has gotten a lot better since really locking into soccer and just being able to push past those mental walls of work and fatigue.¨
Sports like soccer can take years of practice and hard work. Stadnik took many sacrifices such as having to let go of basketball and track. Stadnik is finishing off her high school career with eyes on the future.
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