Interview with SHS Soccer Player Kaylee Pham

Welcome back to the Fall Edition of Off the Reels! This week I sat down with a four year varsity athlete at Springboro who is an important member of the girls soccer team.

Meet SHS Soccer Captain Kaylee Pham…

Soccer story:

Kaylee started playing soccer at the age of three when her parents signed her up for a rec league. It didn’t take long before she fell in love with the sport and wanted to improve. Then, she started playing club soccer, later switched to a bigger club, and now is being recruited to play at the collegiate level. 

Kaylee’s accomplishments:

In addition to the fact that Kaylee made Varsity as a freshman, she has earned much recognition for her playing and leadership on and off the field. This includes being named 1st Team All-Conference, 2nd Team All-Dayton South, and the team Defensive Player of the Year.  She is also a two-year Captain of the team and a two-year member of the Panther Athletic Council.

Professional player Kaylee looks up to:

The professional soccer player that Kaylee admires the most is Julie Ertz of the Chicago Red Stars and the US Women's National Team. Kaylee loves Ertz’s style of play, and she tries to play with the same grit and competitiveness. Kaylee also noted that Ertz is a good person who gives back to her community, and Kaylee looks up to that side of her as well. 

Kaylee’s favorite pump up music:

Kaylee and the Panthers listen to the same warm up playlist in the locker room before games. On her own, Kaylee cranks up some Taylor Swift on her drives to the field! 

Kaylee’s most memorable game:

Of all the games she has played as a Panther, Kaylee considers the home opener of her sophomore season against Centerville to be the most memorable. She said there was a big student section that created a fun environment, and the game was a hard fought contest. The Panthers ended up winning 1-0, and in Kaylee’s words, “the win felt really good.”

Kaylee’s injury:

Shortly before Kaylee’s junior season, she tore her ACL in a scrimmage. She missed out on her junior season for the Panthers and worked hard through a seven month recovery after surgery. This recovery time helped Kaylee work on her leadership skills and mental game; however, she admits that the time away hurt her confidence. Heading into this season, she knew that if she was scared to get injured again, she would be putting herself at more risk. She also knew that she had gone through an extensive rehab and exercise regimen during her time off, so she was coming back physically stronger. If you see her play now, you’d never guess that she ever doubted she could come back!

What soccer has taught Kaylee:

Soccer has taught Kaylee determination and perseverance, especially after her injury. Because of soccer, Kaylee is a strong leader who works to bring her team together. I think one of the most important lessons from soccer that Kaylee mentioned is, “some things are truly out of your own control and so you have to control the things that you can because you can’t control everything.” This is an important concept in sports and all aspects of life. 

Kaylee’s position:

Kaylee played center defense for most of her soccer career until now. This season, she is playing center midfield. She likes center mid because she has more scoring opportunities, but she grew up playing defense, which is still her favorite.

Kaylee’s advice for soccer players:

Kaylee said, “how hard you work is the biggest factor in determining how successful you’re going to be.” She advises athletes to focus on their work ethic and what they can control because those are ultimately the determinants of success. Staying true to her own advice, Kaylee works insanely hard on and off the field, and it shows.