The Amador Valley girls varsity soccer team’s season recently ended after a first-round exit in the NCS playoffs. The Dons earned a 9-4-2 record in the regular season and finished third in the East Bay standings. 

During the season, players have been able to grow closer to one another while improving their abilities on the field. Strong relationships allowed the connections and chemistry to expand within the team. 

“It was really fun. I got to play with all my best friends which was really nice and we all came together. We all are really close and it was fun to just play with new people too. It was a good season,” said forward Emma Fuller (‘23).

Sophomores and juniors value the seniors’ presence on the team and understand there is more room for improvement. It’s a season the team is proud of as they look forward to filling in larger roles next year. 

“We really relied on the seniors. They instilled a lot of trust in us and they brought a lot of energy to the team, and they also just performed really well. This team had a lot of intensity and effort and it’s gonna be really hard to beat that next year,” said goalkeeper Sydney Head (‘24). 

Many seniors played important roles on the field and mentored younger players. Strong captains brought the team together with their skills and leadership that positively impacted each individual.

“As an upperclassman on the team, it was definitely more different than it’s ever been for me. I felt like I had more responsibility on the team and for me, it was a really great experience playing with the seniors,” said Head.

Coaches David Shaw and Grant Matsumoto also had a large impact on the players’ performance, and are credited for the success this season. They’ve consistently trusted each player and the team’s desire to succeed united them throughout the year.

“I love the coaches. I’ve known them for a while now. They’ve all been really helpful in terms of soccer and personally. I really am close to them and we have good connections. The toughest part (of this season) is knowing that I won’t be on that team again,” said Fuller. 

The team held an end-of-the-year banquet that allowed players and coaches to connect with one another. They put soccer-related thoughts behind them and enjoyed their final gathering.

“I thought that was a really good close. I think the banquet showed that regardless of losing (NCS), we all lost together. We played the whole season together and the banquet was just a way for all of us to talk about something else and just be friends,” said Head.