Brynleigh Ritchie: Back to Back State Champ
Brynleigh is a senior at Mountain Crest who has played soccer all 4 years of high school. She began playing soccer when she was around 4 years old and instantly fell in love with the game. She currently plays for a club team called La Roca during the high schools off season. After high school she wants to continue soccer at the collegiate level and go into nursing.
How does it feel to be back to back state champs and what was your favorite part?
“It feels really good and it is super surreal, it doesn’t happen often so it has been a super cool experience. But my favorite part would have to be when the ref blew the final whistle and everyone ran onto the field and we were all hugging”
How much work do you put into soccer?
“Well for high school we are training everyday besides Saturdays and Sundays, but then if you are counting club too then its like 3 times that. So basically a lot, my life is mostly all soccer”
How does your mental toughness have to be in order to play at high risk games?
“If you are not mentally tough you literally play like shiz. I feel like mental toughness is over half of the way that you play soccer. So if you are not mentally tough then you are gonna play bad and then you will be frustrated with yourself and then life is gonna suck”
How do you deal with the pressure of state games?
“Um you don’t. I still don’t know how. You just have to go in and be confident in yourself and in your team or you’re screwed. So confidence is key”
What have you learned from playing soccer in high-school?
“I’ve learned a lot actually, especially about myself and how mentally tough you really need to be. I’ve also learned patience because some coaches just trigger you and you have to be patient with them because there is nothing that you can do about them. And then also patience with other girls that you have never played soccer with before, and then you have to come in and be on a team with them, and that can be really hard.”
What advice would you give to the younger class-men?
“Don’t take it for granted cause it goes so fast!”
