Rye girls soccer's Brianna Prichard emphasizing team unity in rebuild
Leading the girls soccer team this year has been a challenge for Rye's Brianna Prichard, but it's one that the senior has not only accepted, but embraced.
She has fond memories playing soccer throughout her youth and is hoping to finish her high school soccer career on a high note in her senior season.
“I started playing when I was really young,” Prichard said. “I started playing because my older brother played, so it was kind of in the family. I played pretty much during elementary, all of middle school. And in middle school I was the only girl on an all-boys team, so that was a lot of fun. I just love the sport.”
The team this year is undergoing a rebuild after the departure of several members of last year's heavily senior-laden team, which featured a pair of dominant athletes in the Adamson twins, Sophie and Sydney. With the loss of their talents, Prichard has stepped up to lead. She said the team is still working on figuring things out, largely through a process of trial and error.
“We've been moving positions, just seeing who fits,” Prichard said. “We are trying to rebuild because we had the twins, of course, so we are just trying to see who fits better.”
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While the results on the pitch this year haven't always shown it, the team's bond is strong. Prichard said that bond is unlike any other she's seen on a team, which has a lot to do with attending a small school where students spend lots of time together on campus.
“Our team unity is huge,” Prichard said. “We see each other in the halls, so we know each other really well, and I think you can see that on the field. I think that's one thing that you really see with this small school: We just get along so well.”
Prichard was named captain in her senior season, an accomplishment she said she is extremely proud of. She sees herself as a leader and is willing to do whatever she can to help the team.
“I'm really enjoying it,” Prichard said. “I love leading these girls and just knowing that they can come to me for anything or if they have a question. I'm just here for them and I love it.”
Prichard’s soccer skills are evident from the moment you lay eyes on her on the pitch. She has control and an awareness that takes most athletes years to develop. It's something that has come naturally to her in the years she's played the sport.
“I’ve been watching this sport for years and years, and it kind of just came with playing the sport,” Prichard said. “It took me a while to get that view of the field and even like (coach Michael Wing) tells me, ‘You got to let your teammates know where and what they can do and where they can go,’ just because I can see it.”
Soccer is a family tradition for Prichard: Her older brother played, and so does her younger sister. She also has a younger brother who wrestles at Rye.
That common interest in athletics is perhaps unique because most of Prichard's siblings are adopted. She has three adopted siblings and one biological brother.
Two are from South Korea, and one is from China. “I got to go to South Korea in fifth grade to get my little brother," she said.
"I have a younger sister whom I play with, she's from South Korea, and our bond is so tight. She came home when she was a couple of months old and immediately she was part of my family.
"I have two younger brothers, one from China and one from South Korea."
Prichard said her mom always wanted to adopt. "She had me and my brother, but she wanted a bigger family, but she wanted to go outside and adopt.”
The Thunderbolts are not having the same success that they did last season, with a current record of 3-8 on the season. However, the team is continuing to grow as a unit and is hopeful its team-first mentality will roll over to next season.
Prichard is currently third on the team in goals scored and is tied for the team lead in assists.
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Christopher Abdelmalek is a sports reporter for the Pueblo Chieftain and can be reached at cabdelmalek@gannett.com or on Twitter @chowebacca
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Rye soccer's Brianna Prichard leads rebuilding team as captain
