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Headed towards Greatness: Highland Park men's soccer
Highland Park is no stranger to being in headlines due to having great athletic programs. This season, the Scots soccer squad is determined to be another one of those great headlines, but even more than that- they are determined to have an exceptional season on the pitch! VYPE DFW takes a dive into what has been happening so far for the team and what fans can expect out of Scots soccer this season!
Last season, the Scots posted an incredible, undefeated district record. Highland Park went 12-0-2 in district play en route to playoffs. The Scots defeated the likes of Crandall, North Forney, Stephenville, Mesquite Poteet, and more during regular season play. Through the playoffs, the Scots fell to Corsicana and ended the season with a 16-3-4 overall record.
This season the Scots are back at being at the top of the game. The squad started the season off with a 2-1 victory over Newman Smith before posting another victory over Dallas Conrad. With only one tie so far this season, the Scots have a 4-2-1 overall record. With a fast-paced offense and a strong defense, Highland Park has already outscored their opponents 17-8 on the season so far.
Junior Jake Whitehurst currently leads the Scots in scoring with four goals in six games played. Senior Lucas Guevara Batta and freshman Jack O'Grady both have two goals apiece this season as well. With such strong athletes ready to keep the fast-paced nature of the Scots going, fans can expect Highland Park to make a strong push for a deep playoff run.
Fort Worth Christian star Chaeli Haupert is VYPE DFW's Private School volleyball player of the year
With the season complete, many players deserved to be listed on the VYPE DFW Private School Volleyball Player of the Year Fan Poll. After all was said and done, though, only one player could sit at the top- per fan votes. The winner of the fan poll was none other than Fort Worth Christian's very own senior libero Chaeli Haupert. VYPE DFW had a chance to catch up with Haupert in an exclusive interview following her accomplishment.
To read the full interview become a VYPE Insider today!
Making Memories through Success
When you are a part of a team that you love, it's easy to make many memories with your friends and teammates. For Haupert, her favorite memory was from her senior season. "Our first district win against Prince of Peace Christian School this season [was my favorite memory with my school]," Haupert began. "We came back from a two-set deficit and won in five. Both of my grandparents had traveled down to see it, so it was super important to me that they got to see us win."
That moment as well as the support of her family throughout her high school career has meant everything to Haupert; she would say this has been the secret of her success. "My parents have been to every single game since I was little and without their support, I wouldn't be where I am now." With the support of her family driving her to be the best that she can be at any given moment, Haupert was definitely able to have a successful career for Fort Worth Christian. During her senior season, Haupert recorded 77 aces with a 2.16 serve rating; she also recorded 335 3-passes as well as 586 digs.
With the ability to be great and a team that also stays focused, many fans might wonder what the secret to Fort Worth Christian's success has been. "In my opinion, our team's success came from our shared love of the game," Haupert said. "Each and every one of us love the game of volleyball and we all wanted to get better."
Staying focused on goals
In order to accomplish goals, a dedicated sense of focus is required for athletes. Sometimes- especially during the offseason- it's easy to fall out of step and become unfocused. For Haupert, though, staying focused was key. "During the off-season, I like to stay focused by continuing to play club and sand volleyball," Haupert told VYPE. "I'll usually either do private training or just go out and play sand casually with my friends." With great focus and the ability to stay in shape during the off-season, Haupert came into each of her high school seasons with a great mindset: "stay positive and learn from my mistakes in order to move on." With the right mindset, Haupert feels that her biggest accomplishment this season was being named First Team All-State and Defensive Player of the Year.
As any athlete does, Haupert had many goals for herself and the team this season. "My individual goal for this season was to help my team get to the state tournament. I wanted to be a prominent member of the team and be noticeable on the court," Haupert said. "My team goal for this season was to go undefeated in district. I was super proud of us- we went 12-0 and became district champs!"
A Bright Future
Although Haupert is not committed to any college volleyball programs, she is still looking for the right fit. "I am looking for a competitive program with a strong culture and relationships; one that has a balance between athletics and academics," Haupert said. She plans on majoring in kinesiology or pre-med.
Coach's Comments
VYPE DFW was also able to catch up with Fort Worth Christian varsity volleyball coach Heather Breeding who had many great things to say about her time coaching Haupert. "Chaeli is the most energetic player I have ever coached! She has two speeds- fast and faster," said coach Breeding. "She will raise the level of play in practice or in a game by her absolute commitment to the play in the moment. She will even run herself into the wall or the stands in order to chase down a ball. She works harder than anyone else to perfect her game. I have never seen anyone that loves this game more than Chaeli! She has big dreams packaged in such a small body and it has been a true joy coaching her these last two years."
Fun Questions
What is your favorite professional sports team?
"Minnesota Wild."
Who do you look up to as an athlete?
"My dad. He was an athlete when he was my age and he has taught me a lot through my years of playing sports."