MORGANTOWN — Whenever someone tells you that you can’t do something, it makes you want to do it even more.
That’s the approach Morgantown High senior goalkeeper Jordan August took when some doubted her ability to defend the net.
It wasn’t her skill people were worried about, but her height, which wasn’t quite that of a prototypical goalie, even as a 10-year old.
“It didn’t come naturally. In fact, I was told I was too small to be a keeper,” August said. “I grew late. I was probably 5-foot-1 at the time and am now 5-foot-8.”
Before her growth spurt, August worked out to improve things she could control to make herself a better keeper. She watched WVU goalie Kerri Butler, who played for the Mountaineers from 2007-’10 and recorded 44 shutouts in her career.
After August met Butler, she knew she wanted to be a keeper, no matter what the doubters said about her size. August took goalkeeping lessons to learn good positioning, footwork and technical handling, which are all marks of a great goalkeeper.
She also lifted at Viking Performance Training to work on her vertical leap to compensate for her height. It helped make her stronger in the box to be able to move in any direction she needed to make a save.
“The staff at Viking Performance Training taught me to never settle,” she said.
As for her coaches, August credits Saša Miškovic, Hunter Gilstrap, Cristian Materazzi, Nick Noble and Erika Yohn for specifically helping with her goalkeeping throughout the years.
“Taylor Schram and Raul Ovalle, who were team coaches, also taught me how important my foot skills and ability (are) for my team to use me and my feet as an outlet to pass the ball back to,” she said.
August, who is playing for Beadling Soccer Club, in Bridgeville, Pa., also thanked coaches J.R. Little and T.J. O’Brien for their work in helping her get where she is now.
She will have a new coach this season with the Mohigans, who fell to University in the sectional championship last season. After being coached by Jenni Wieand the last two years, MHS will be led by Sterlin Rivers.
The Mohigans just wrapped up their three-week summer workout period, and August believes it was a good time to get familiar with some of the changes they’ll have.
“It was important to put the work in and understand the expectations, as well as prepare the new players for the upcoming season,” she said. “I’m excited for the new coach who emphasizes the importance of discipline, hard work, accountability and plays a possession style soccer game, which fits my playing style well.”
One of those new players August will — finally — get to play with is his younger sister Michaela, a rising freshman.
While a midfielder and defender rather than a goalie, Michaela works with Jordan to help each other’s game. As a left-footed kicker, Michaela gives Jordan a different look for crosses, corner kicks and regular offensive attacks.
While this will be Jordan’s last season at MHS, she’ll continue her soccer career at Seton Hill, in Greensburg, Pa.
“I wanted a small school environment with a competitive soccer program,” she said. “Seton Hill offers a great exercise science program to prepare me for physical therapy school after graduating, and the soccer team plays in one of the most competitive conferences in the country. The minute I stepped on campus, it felt like home and I knew that was where I wanted to be.”
