Their heart’s are pumping, their minds are rushing, their bodies are shaking. Number 19, Jade Shinn, and number 24, Megan Frkovic, are running onto the field for their soccer game as Varsity players. They both have made the girls’ Varsity soccer team as freshmen.

This did not come easily to Frkovic and Shinn, as not many people make it to varsity at their age.
“Very few freshmen make it,” varsity coach Daniel Hogan said. “If you’re good enough to make it, it shows you they have talent.”
Both Shinn and Frkovic had an injury of a strained quad when trying out for the team, but they still fought for their place. They both have played soccer for 12 years, and are very dedicated to the sport they love.
“I know it was hard work for her because she struggled with her injury, but she still worked hard to make it,” Shinn’s mother Jennifer Cardoni said.
Frkovic and Shinn both play for the same club soccer team, St. Louis Scott Gallagher. Frkovic just switched onto the team in November, so they have only played together for a few months. When high school soccer season starts up, they don’t have club soccer. However, the girls put a lot of time into soccer, since club soccer goes all year round.
“I like playing with her because we work really well together,” Frkovic said. “We hoped we would play together on the high school team, but we weren’t for sure about it.”
Even though the girls are freshmen, they still contribute
a lot to the team. Frkovic plays as a forward for the team, and Shinn plays right and left defense.
“Megan has brought a lot of energy to the team and scored a couple of goals and had an assist,” Hogan said. “Jade has given us a lot of depth on defense.”

The fact that they have made the team does not mean they are done working hard. The girls have practice every day, and really have to work hard to earn the spot to play. They still put even more time into soccer.
“She puts in a lot of time, practices everyday, and works out,” Frkovic’s sister senior Anna said. “She’s really dedicated to the sport.”
Hogan thinks the team as a whole works well together and knows how to play as a team, which helps during games. When all the girls are individually working as hard as they can, the flow of the game is enhanced and the team performs at the best of their ability.
“Last year we had really good chemistry as a team, and I think we have that same chemistry this year,” Hogan said. “That’s one of our talents, they are all very cohesive together.”