USU Eastern soccer captains ready to play

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Three soccer captains were introduced for spring 2021. Set back by the unexpected worldwide pandemic, the team is ecstatic to get back on the grind with legendary leadership along the way. 

Coach Jared Woodhouse has high hopes and is eager to get going with the strength of the captains. “It’s going to be really important to our chemistry of the team these captains can unify them, so everybody is cheering for each other, everybody cares about each other.” 

Sophomore, Meg Edwards, is thrilled for the upcoming soccer season as a captain. She grew up in Layton, Utah, and decided to continue her journey with soccer while completing a degree in dental hygiene. Training in fall 2020, Edwards is the excited for the team to finally play games and travel. She desires to contribute to the team by being the best leader she can be. Edwards said, “I am the assertive one and not afraid to call people out.” 

Being a strong and confident person, communicating and motivating the team is always successful for her. Like any great leader, success is not given, but earned through hard work.

 Her dad, Bill, inspired her to be who she is today. “He is selfless, he will do stuff for everybody else before he even thinks about himself, which is something I always looked up to.” 

Being like her dad was not hard, she is very self-sacrificing and is always doing anything she can for her teammates. She hopes her team realizes that you can do almost anything you put your mind to. 

Being the only captain in fall of 2020, Edwards is stoked for more leadership in 2021. “I’m so happy that I have help now because it’s hard to try be the assertive one while also trying to make sure everyone is happy while also trying to lead on the field.” 

Nineteen-year-old Ashley Brindley is enthusiastic about the season as a sophomore captain. From St. George, Utah, she is continuing soccer at USUE along with pursuing her education in sports medicine. 

She can’t wait for the season’s games to start in April 2021. 

“Our team chemistry is much better this year and think we will compete a lot better than we did last year, plus we are going to win a lot more games.” 

Brindley’s goal as a captain is to keep the team working hard to achieve great success. “I would say I am the exact opposite of Meg; I am a quiet person so I feel like I am more of a leader on the field and just lead by example.” 

Besides annihilating players on the field, Brindley leads by example anywhere she is at. This type of leadership pushes her teammates to become more valuable and advanced. Good players inspire themselves, but great players inspire others and that is exactly what she is achieving. 

One of Brindley’s greatest inspirations is her dad Brent.

 “He is hard working and always wants to become better. He made me see that there is always something in myself that I can improve so I just want to keep getting better.” 

Freshman Maryn Stoddard, is honored to be captain alongside Edwards and Brindley. She was born in Provo, Utah, and is completing her associate’s degree. She is exhilarated about becoming fully united as a team in hopes to accomplish all of her team’s goals.

 Stoddard leads by her positivity and hard work on and off the field. She gives off good vibes and is a genuine friend to everyone.

 “I feel like I am in the middle of Meg and Ashley, like I’m not super quiet, but I’m also not super assertive. I am more of a neutralizer and mediator.”  What will make Stoddard a legendary captain at USUE is not only her passion for others, but also her love for the game. 

“My high school soccer coach said that heart wins games. He taught me to always put my heart into the game and helped me develop an even stronger passion for soccer.” Stoddard desires for her teammates to understand that if you want it bad enough then you will get it. 

 Woodhouse added, “We just have so much leadership on the team, if all of you can come together not just the captains, but everybody and hold each other to a high standard then we have a good opportunity to succeed with this team.” 

Unity, sacrifice, hard work and determination are all attributes that the USUE women’s soccer team will work for this season. In hopes for a better year than 2020, these captains aspire to achieve greatness in 2021.