Friday, November 21, 2014

Girls Soccer Values Karpiej's Variety of Abilities

*This article was intended to appear in the Southwinds school newspaper in October. My apologies, they're rather out of date now, but it's posted here.  





     Blink and you might miss her move. 
     The opponent carries the ball into the Bobcat’s side of the field. The ball meets the area where she patrols, and attacking center midfielder Dani Karpiej strikes. She intercepts the pass so easily that it seems as though it was intended for her, sliding through the pursuing opposition effortlessly like water running through a creek. Her shooting and passing skills leaves spectators amazed.
     Varsity girls soccer has been blessed with impactful captains throughout the years; players who dominate on the field and exert their influence from the sidelines. Along with their reign of dominance, these players pass on their knowledge, merging their understanding with their teammates’ established skills. This year’s edition of such a player is seen in Karpiej.
     Her performance has been established through nourishment and perseverance. The path to success was long, but as she turns into the homestretch of her high school career, she values the things that helped her arrive at her current position. “I’ve learned to become a responsible student athlete and I’m the happiest when I’m on the field,” she said. “My parents have always been my biggest supporters. My dad has always pushed me to be my best. He’s always pushing me to run the extra sprint, extra mile.”
     Girls soccer added Karpiej as an offensive player from the middle school. She immediately jumped onto the varsity team and scored goals. She would also be able to occasionally dish off some assists. That was then-it is now a frequent occurrence in each game she plays. This year, she has proved her balanced approach, tallying six goals and three assists. 
     Ed Duclos has been Karpiej’s coach during her entire time at the high school and has seen her grow to her full potential as a player who can excel in every dimension of the game and cannot be fully contained by the opposition. “[She] has incredible technique. Her skill on the ball is phenomenal,” Duclos said. “She can distribute the ball quickly to the correct person, and she has incredible vision and creativity as well. Also, she has become a much better defender over the years,” he said.
     Duclos admires that Karpiej is able to effectively execute her responsibilities. As a cocaptain alongside Colleen Bouquot, Karpiej’s on-field task is to direct the team from the middle third of the field into the finishing third. 
     Duclos said that Karpiej has been able to not only consistently carry out this rather difficult task, but also do it at a high level, and her skills can stretch beyond high school soccer.
     Karpiej’s success has come from years of work and diligence. “I’ve worked hard outside of practice,” she said. “I go on runs alone, I work out alone, always getting touches on the ball when I can. I think extra time by yourself and independent [work] can make you better,” she said. 
     Along her personal journey through the sport she has pos­itively affected her teammates throughout the years. By doing this, she has scattered the seeds of the future for girls soccer. 
     Teammates have appreciated her spirit and desire to spread her knowledge and presence. 
     Senior Amy McConnell, who has played soccer with Karpiej since their youth, says she is a valuable asset to the team. “Dani is very soccer smart. She knows the game very well, so she knows what she’s talking about. Whenever she has advice everyone listens because she’s very experienced,” McConnell said.
     Sophomore Sam Faust also made the varsity team in his freshman year and recognizes the leadership skills Karpiej exhibits. “On the field and off the field she’ll talk to you and tell you what you need to do,” she said. “When I’m a junior and senior I want to be a leader like she is,” Faust said.

     Karpiej will continue to play soccer and take the competition to the next level at Division I school, Sacred Heart University.