York Institute freshman Lydia Allen has powered the Lady Dragons soccer offense to a strong start this season by scoring nine goals in her debut year.
Allen said her background in club soccer provided the necessary foundation to compete at the high school level. Allen said the support system within the team has been a primary factor in her ability to contribute to the offense so early in her career.
“I started off in club soccer, which gave me a lot of experience to be the player I am today,” Allen said.
Allen said she relies on a specific mental approach to handle the pressure of playing varsity matches as a freshman. Allen said maintaining a high level of self-assurance is essential when she steps onto the pitch for a game.
“I walk onto the field and act like I own it and I have to have confidence knowing that I can get through the match,” Allen said.
Allen said the encouragement she receives from her teammates has allowed her personal confidence to grow as the season progresses.
“I’ve had a ton of people to encourage me and support me through this,” Allen said.
Allen said she is focused on the long-term development of the program and believes the current roster has the potential to achieve postseason success. Allen said the team environment is built on mutual improvement between herself and the veteran players.
“Because I have a great group of girls that I know will help me and I’ll help them advance and maybe win district next season and improve a lot,” Allen said.
