Sixteen-year-old Kadie Johnston is a team player.

The Grade 11 W.H. Croxford High School student has played soccer since she was six years old and says her favourite aspect of the game is the fact that it teaches an athlete how to work as part of a team and strive for common goals.

“Plays work when a team works together. Wins are just that much more rewarding when every player had a part in it,” she says.

She adds soccer is a game of creativity, stamina, awareness, anticipation and drive that always keeps you on your toes.

“In soccer, I always have to be thinking and getting ready for the next play, even when I don’t have the ball and there is nothing sweeter than anticipating an opponent’s pass and intercepting it before it meets its target,” she says.

Laural Kuntz, Johnston’s soccer coach and math and science teacher, says she supports her peers and leads with her passion for excellence without looking for anything in return.

“She is amazing at soccer and that dedication has translated over to her academics, where she modestly supports and works with her peers to create a positive dynamic environment, just by her nature and strength of character.”