For the past three seasons, Senior Skyler Cooley has been a field player for the Elkhorn North girls soccer team. Despite having two varsity goalies last season, one has graduated and the other quit due to injury, which left the team with a wide gap in their defense. The coaching staff was frantic to find someone to fill in and decided to convert one of their players to the role: senior Skyler Cooley.
“I’ve had success in the past using basketball girls for goalies and the biggest thing you need in a goalie is an athlete,” head soccer coach Troy Stoller said. “Enter Cooley who is a three-sport athlete and someone I knew wouldn’t back down from the challenge.”
In soccer, the goalie is considered the last line of defense. If a player gets all the way down the field without being stopped, it is the goalkeeper’s job to make sure the ball doesn’t go into the net.
“It is one of the most stressful and important positions on the field,” senior Jordan Zielinski said.
Goalies have to be able to throw their bodies around and make very quick reactions to the ball. Although every position needs quick reflexes, the goalies situation is a whole new story.
“It is definitely a big change going from a field player that’s dominantly using their feet to a position when it’s most important to use your hands,” Zielinski said.
Cooley was not just considered the perfect option because of her athletic ability, but also because of her mental toughness.
“Even when she got scored on by Elkhorn [High], she didn’t put her head down,” Zielinski said. “She picked up the team, she picked up herself, and kept us dialed into the game.”
As a senior, Cooley was already in a leadership position. Now, Cooley has had to step up even more into a vocal leader for the team.
“For her to go into it with full confidence really boosted not only her but everyone else on the team,” Zielinski said.
The overall morale of the team has been so much higher. The new opportunities have fueled hope for this upcoming season to do well.
“It’s fun to see her take over the goalie group and have fun while doing it,” Stoller said. “The four of us coaches have talked numerous times about the fun, positive energy of that goalie group, and Cooley is a big part of that.”
She is someone the other goalies have started to learn from and go to for advice. A huge part of her transition is having support from others on the team and they have given her that so she can then help others.
“Cooley has always been a leader on the team, and someone that the coaches and players could always rely on,” Stoller said.
Her positive attitude has shown her dedication to the team and its success.
“From day one when we made the switch, Cooley was 100% on board and ready to crush the challenge,” Stoller said.
In the past few weeks of practices and last two games she has done everything asked of her and more. Right now the soccer team is 2-0 and she has contributed to that as the starting goalie.
