Kamryn Scheib hopes to help Ankeny to Iowa girls soccer state tournament after 3 years off

Kamryn Scheib is easy to find on the soccer pitch.

The bright yellow pre-wrap holding the hair away from her face and her bright teal cleats contrast the all-maroon Ankeny girls soccer uniform and the dark storm clouds engulfing the field.

Hours after a tornado devastated Greenfield, Iowa and severe storms damaged Johnston High School – 25 minutes southwest of Ankeny Stadium – the Hawkettes and Ames competed in their regularly scheduled substate matchup, albeit with a 30-minute delay.

Traffic lights on the way to the stadium were without power, a section of floodlights went out late in Tuesday’s game and players fought against brutal winds. Several other teams across the state postponed.

But Ankeny and Ames played on.

And Scheib wasn’t fazed by the weather in the Hawkettes' 3-0 win.

A center back, she is frequently tasked with tackling the opposition and moving the ball forward, and she does the latter better than most. There was a point late in Tuesday’s game when she attempted to clear the ball downfield and her booming kick looked more like a shot on goal, getting scooped up by Ames’ goaltender close to the net.

Scheib is a player Ankeny’s coach, Simon Brown, is happy to have on his roster.

But the junior defender almost missed her chance to play for the Hawkettes.

Scheib chooses a different sport early on in her high school career

There is another reason that Scheib stands out on the soccer field: She measures 5-foot-10.

She’d played soccer her entire life, and then picked up volleyball around fifth grade. As she grew, one sport seemed like a better fit than the other.

“With my height and stuff, I was better at volleyball,” Scheib told the Des Moines Register on Tuesday.

So, she quit soccer before her freshman year of high school and dedicated herself to volleyball. The focus on one sport paid off; Scheib led Ankeny with 301 kills this past fall. But – with plenty of friends on the soccer team – she felt called back to the pitch.

She considered returning to soccer during her sophomore year but instead decided to remain focused on volleyball alone.

This year, she decided to take the leap.

“I thought, it’ll keep me in shape, it’ll make me better at volleyball,” Scheib said. “And I kind of just came out for fun.”

Soccer is not, in fact, like riding a bicycle

It’s become more than just fun with friends, though.

Brown’s team graduated one of its best defenders – Jenna Pitz – after last season. The Hawkettes needed to replace her presence at center back. Scheib seemed like a perfect fit.

Her friends on the team convinced her to try out this season, reassuring her that her time away from soccer wouldn’t significantly impact her game. But it was obvious to Scheib that she’d lost some of her touch.

“It’s kind of frustrating, knowing I had a skill before and then not being able to show up and do it,” Scheib said.

The basics and the instincts were there.

As for the rest, Scheib knew she’d need to dedicate herself – and a lot of her time – to getting better. Over spring break, she attended as many practices and open gyms as she could, hoping to get back into the groove of things.

Slowly but surely, Scheib worked through the learning curve.

“She’ll say this as well, but she was really rusty at the start,” Brown said. “What she has is one of those things that you can’t coach, just a competitive drive to get better. She’s just trying to get back the technique that she had.”

Scheib’s work ethic is Brown’s favorite part of the defender’s game

It wasn’t an easy return to soccer for Scheib, and it took a lot of hard work.

But it paid off, and Scheib cemented her spot as a starter.

Brown said his defender’s approach to the game is how she earned a spot in the starting 11 after years away from the sport. She takes his coaching well and quickly picks up adjustments. She’s driven by a competitive spirit and a desire – no, more like a need – to get better. She wants to grow as an athlete.

All those things make her not only a valuable teammate on the field but an asset in the locker room.

“She’s a great kid, and she’s working really hard to help the team,” Brown said. “The kids love her, and she’s so mature, she can carry the team and she brings that experience. She’s just a natural leader.

“She just came in here from taking a few years off and she makes everything better.”

As for Scheib, there are no regrets in her decision to return to soccer. She’s back playing the sport she grew up around, and she’s doing it alongside friends. Of course, it will also help her stay in game shape for volleyball.

This season reminded her why she loved soccer so much in the first place.

And there is no question as to whether Scheib will play soccer for the Hawkettes in her senior season.

“Yeah, definitely,” Scheib said. “I’ve had a lot of fun already.”

Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Kamryn Scheib's return pushing Ankeny to Iowa girls soccer postseason