• First home match is April 12

Most schools have some kind of springtime flux when it comes to sports in Wyoming. Weather combined with spring break activities and the sheer number of commitments available in the final months of the school year make it hard to determine just where some programs stand and where their focus should go. This might be even more prevalent in Star Valley where springtime weather is more akin to blizzard conditions in many parts of the country.

But, the mountains of Wyoming haven’t missed a winter yet and the spring sports kids are built tough and thus is the way of it on the local fields in April.

For the Lady Braves soccer team, if you’re only paying attention to the scoreboards, it’s not been a start to trumpet about. The team has battled all of the aforementioned annual events but this season had no non-conference matches due to the inclusion of Green River back into the 4A ranks and thus sent the teams directly into the teeth of conference play. The team has started 0-4 and been outscored by a combined total of 50-0 in those matches including a humbling 19-0 outing in Green River in the final match before spring break.

But, when your program is building, there is only one way to go and coach Jessica Bagley has enthusiasm for this group of Lady Braves.

“This is the most tight-knit team we have had since I have started coaching,” she replied. “We have a very young and green team. Despite the lopsided scores the girls still had fun which was our big goal. Another amazing thing was this is the most coachable team I have had. Now as a coaching staff our goal is to give repetitive skills to make habits, teach new things, and let them have time to figure it out. A lot of them are not quite sure if they are doing it right or not and so building confidence in decision making will be key.”

Young and green is for certain, with just two seniors, the program’s 15 listed varsity players had nine as either freshmen or sophomores. Bagley also believes the story of the team cant be told by the scoreboard.

“A lot of people will look at the score and be shocked,” she said. “It doesn’t tell the whole story. In soccer we don’t have set plays (aside from a free kick) or set defenses. What we have are formations and skills that are created at random through predicting their teammates commonly used moves, and strengths and added in communication. Across the world it is known as the beautiful game. This is because of the connections we make by just understanding our team and having the confidence to participate in trial and error. We have a culture of wanting to get it right the first time, or perfecting each game like perfecting a piano solo, or executing the exact movements of a basketball play. Soccer, like life is journey of trial and error, and how we overcome and work as a team.”

Once back from spring break, the Lady Braves will have a match in Evanston on April 10 before coming home for the majority of their home matches which will take place all in a row. From April 12 though May 1, the Star Valley girls will play six consecutive home matches. Plenty of time for the local crowd to put on their gameday scarves and come out and get to know this team.

“These girls will be a successful and fun group to watch this year and in the coming years after,” Bagley concluded. Star Valley always produces high quality athletes. And even though the scores have not reflected it, our kids compete. They do not let losses define them, rather they are built by them. And this is a group to watch!”