TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The Maclay girls soccer team has a lot of young faces this season but is led by a good group of experienced seniors. Kate Smith is one of those seniors, and she is just thankful to spend a final season in a Marauders uniform.
"I had something to work for, which was to play my last year of high school," she said, reflecting on the past year recovering from an ACL injury. "I had that in the back of my mind the whole time."
After rehabbing to get healthy, she was cleared to play her final season as a Marauder.
"She's just such an outstanding force for us," said assistant coach Joe Kupiszewski. "She's always leading, always pushing everyone else, even coming back from that kind of an injury."
With a team full of young faces, Smith is exactly the leader this team needs.
"Just working on your relationship off the field is the most important in my opinion to be successful on the field."
"She was appointed captain and nobody had an issue with that," added Kupiszewski. "She's got not only herself to get back, but really the entire team to pick up to get to the next level. She's done a fantastic job of doing that."
She's not holding back in the classroom either, as Smith has a 4.68 GPA.
"I'm very pleased with how everything's gone," she said. "I always try hard in school and soccer. Learning how to prioritize both at the same time and overcoming it is great."
Overcoming and thriving, as Smith is tied for the leading scorer.
"When she's there we know things are going to get done and things are going to get done the right way," said Kupiszewski.
"There's nothing I value more than this team," added Smith. "Getting to play one last year with all these people and all my friends, it's just been so special."
A special season, for a senior who's surely, left her mark. Smith said she doesn't have plans to play soccer in college. She said she wants to study biology, with hopes of entering the medical field.
