In sports, a winning program isn't built overnight. Just ask Alfredo Chavez, first year coach of North's girls soccer team. "We don't have a tryout," he said. "Everybody who shows up probably makes the team."
Junior Sarah Bowen wasn't even supposed to be as front and center as she's become. Before this year she hadn't played soccer since the age of 8. "She was like 'Oh, I don't have any experience," Chavez remembers when he asked her to try out.
She finally did come out for the team as a way to stay in shape for her club volleyball team. But while she may have been focused on another sport, after the Stars' starting goalie went down to an injury, Bowen was thrust in front of goal. "I almost feel bad in a way because I feel like I took her spot," she said.
While she might have tried out purely for fitness, once she got her chance, she made the most of her opportunity. At this weekend's Garces Tournament she was perfect in front of goal, stopping every shot that came her way. North went on to win all three games in the tournament behind her clean sheets and the Stars finally took home a trophy. "The first time they win a tournament," Chavez said on this "special season."
While Sarah was the one making the saves she says she couldn't have done it without the words from her teammates. "My captains and all my players were like 'Just get muddy! Get muddy!' So I finally dove for them and I was just making dives left and right and I was like 'Ok. This is kind of fun," she said.
In fact it was so fun that she says there's no doubt she'll be back playing her senior year. "Of course," she told 23ABC with a smile.
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