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12/14/2016 11:00 PMKayla Howard says that it took a little time for her to warm up to the sport of soccer, but it didn’t take long at all for Kayla to make an impact with Hand at the high school level. It was all systems go right away this fall for Kayla, who had one of the best rookie seasons in the Southern Connecticut Conference.
Kayla first played soccer in kindergarten, but she wasn’t too fond of it. She then gave it another go at an indoor clinic in 3rd grade and that’s when Kayla realized that she might wind up sticking with the sport.
Kayla did indeed stick with soccer and, this fall, the freshman outside midfielder recorded six goals with eight assists to nab All-SCC Quinnipiac Division, plus All-SCC Second Team honors. Along the way, Kayla helped the Tigers reach the first SCC Tournament final in seven years and their first State Tournament semifinal in a decade.
“I just think I started to mature with the sport and started to get more into it [after the indoor clinic]. I liked the team aspect and the different skills the sport needs,” says Kayla, who also plays Premier soccer in the winter. “At the beginning of the year, I was nervous because I was playing against girls three or four years older than me. But as the year went on, I got used to that and the age factor didn’t matter. I got more comfortable and got to know my teammates better and their skills, which helped me score goals.”
Earning All-Conference accolades as a freshman is certainly a big-time achievement. Kayla is quick to mention how her support system of teammates and coaches kept giving her positive emotional reinforcement that helped Kayla press on through the campaign to get that recognition.
“It’s really exciting to accomplish all of this as a freshman because the team and my friends really encouraged me to keep going,” Kayla says. “Everyone around me started to compliment me and went out of their way to help me. It was all a great experience.”
Hand Head Coach David Dikranian says that Kayla has tons of talent, as well as a diverse skill set that can only help her get better as her high school career unfolds.
“Kayla Howard won her starting role just one game into the season. Kayla added speed and technique as an outside mid, beating players 1-v-1, setting up goals, and scoring goals. She is easily the most skilled player on the team,” says Dikranian. “She had a remarkable season as a freshman, withstanding the pace and physical play from older, bigger players. As a coach, you wish more young players would have good technical ability coming into high school. Kayla has a bright future for both high school and Premier soccer. Kayla’s technique and solid play on the field is a great example for our youth players in town to follow.”
Kayla has sharpened her skills by working with people both inside and out of the Hand soccer family. When it comes to producing points for the Tigers as either a helper or attacker, Kayla says that it’s all about making smart decisions with the ball and then picking the right spots to strike.
“I trained with the head coach at Sacred Heart Academy, Larry Bright, and our assistant coach Shane Smith in the preseason, and they helped me with my footwork,” Kayla says. “You have to realize your surroundings and that you can’t take shots whenever you want to. If you are wide open, then take it, but if someone else is, then pass it off and maybe you start a give-and-go situation. You have to communicate with your teammates.”
Looking to next season, Kayla and the Tigers are highly motivated to take the next step toward claiming SCC and state titles. Kayla plans to help make that goal a reality by working hard in order to maximize her potential to the fullest.
“We have a really athletic group of girls that are always ready to work harder than the other team,” says Kayla, who thanks her parents, Justin and Maxine, along with Bright and the entire Hand coaching staff. “I plan on working hard for the next eight months in taking my game to another level to help my team.”