KINGWOOD — Make no mistake about it, Preston girls’ soccer coach Sarah Kinsey likes things to be done right and steady — solid progress beats disorganized, chaotic effort every time.
The Knights have been climbing the rankings for three straight years under Kinsey, building the right way, and according to her, now could be the time for a big payoff.
“Even though we lost three seniors and have a big hole to fill at central defender in Erin McClelland, we feel like we’re in great shape,” she said. “We have a strong senior class returning, including striker Izabela Stahl and four-year starting keeper Kinley Menko. Experience and talent up top and in back is a great place to start, for sure, and this year, we’re looking to really dig in and be very competitive in every match on our schedule.
“As always, we like to build from the back, then feed in and attack from the wings, and with a young-but-talented back line, we’ll be depending on Kinley to take charge back there.”
Reflecting back on her time between the pipes at Preston, Menko can see her progression into a leadership role.
“When I was a freshman starting on the varsity team,” she said, “I said nothing. Didn’t talk to my defense at all, just because I was so intimidated by all these older players, and I didn’t have a clue what to expect at the varsity level. But now, I understand the game and my game, and I know how important it is to let my defense know what’s in front or behind them and where they need to be. Taking charge can really make a difference, and I like being in that role now.”
Another big part of leadership is helping young players through adversity, and every keeper knows what adversity’s all about.
“Whether or not it’s your fault, you’re always blaming yourself for every goal you give up,” she said. “But I’ve learned that you have to learn from it, then forget about it. You can’t let a mistake turn into two or three. Just move on to the next play, and part of a senior’s job is to help get our team refocused right away. We’re coming together really well, and working so hard, and I really feel like we have a chance to be really good this year.”
“It’s time for us to take the next step,” Kinsey said. “There’s talent, soccer knowledge, and experience on this team. The last piece is persistence, I think. We have to have that mindset to continue to play hard through adversity, because it’s what you do after you get knocked down that makes the difference. I think we are ready, and we’re excited for the opportunity to go out there and get after it.”
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