For the second-to-last game of the season, the UW-Whitewater women’s soccer club team went up against a tough opponent. On Oct. 17., the team fought against UW-Madison away from home. Before the game even began, members from UW-W acknowledged that the team they were playing against wouldn’t be easy, especially after playing against them in 2024.
“Whitewater is DIII, so we’re a smaller school, versus Madison, which is D1 […] all the girls that are on their club team are just gonna be the girls that didn’t make the NCAA team, so their skill level is already gonna be a little higher than ours, which is okay; that’s just how sports work,” freshman midfielder Sophia Smith said.
Not only did the team recognize the potential difference in skill, but also how the two differed in size. UW-Whitewater is much smaller compared to UW-Madison. While Madison’s team can swap out their members whenever they want, allowing them a moment of rest, UW-W’s team has utilized their swaps more sparingly, leaving them to only have about two or three substitutes.
Despite these two differences, the team’s optimistic energy didn’t diminish as they entered the game with a plan and excitement.
“We know the competition we’re up against, and so we have to play a very defensive game [… ],” co-president Freja Martin-Heid said. “We have a very good mindset going in and being like, ‘hey, let’s just play our hardest and have fun.’ We’re here with all of our friends. Let’s just do as best as we can.’”
Ever since the school year started, the team has steadily been growing in size and overall progress with their skills and teamwork. Their Monday and Wednesday practices, which go from 6:30 to 8:30, consist of discussing previous games and coming up with a plan that revolves around working on certain factors that may have been lacking. It allows for practices to be flexible while simultaneously incorporating members’ inputs. Meanwhile, Tuesdays are used for workouts to allow members to still get exercise outside of soccer.
Whether it’s on the field or hanging outside of practice, the team has developed and fostered a welcoming, inclusive, and fun community.
“Even after any game, win or loss, we always come together and [build each other up],” Smith said.
The club provides the chance for girls interested in soccer, or who used to play soccer, to connect and play with others who joined for similar reasons, without the high commitment.
“That’s what we like about our team, is that we can offer that [option] and people can come back and play with a team that cares about each other and wants to do well,” Martin-Heid said.
Although the team may be small and have been struggling with numbers, the size allows for the team’s dynamic to foster and grow into future friendships and memorable experiences.
“Having a small team means that everybody’s so much closer with each other, and we’re just kind of connected in that wave,” Smith said. “We’re just one big family, and we all really care about each other.”