Soccer season just took off and La Salle is anticipating another great season from varsity star player Regan Russell. This year she will take on the task of being the team’s veteran captain as she works to lead the team to victory in her senior year. Regan has recently committed to Portland State to continue her soccer career playing for a Division 1 school. As part of our ongoing Athlete of the Week feature, we’ve interviewed Regan about how the season is going so far. 

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How do you feel about the team this year and how well you guys could do?

• “I’m really confident in our team this year. We have some really good talent, and we all know each other’s strengths and how to utilize them while we play. We also have a new coach, who has already taught us a lot about the game. I definitely think we’ll be a threat to other schools in our conference, and hopefully we can prove it by winning state.”

What do you think about the future of the program?

• “Seeing the incoming freshmen this year, I’m positive that the program will continue to grow and get better. The seniors that will come after Talya, Natalie, and I are great players and will do a great job as leaders. The coaching staff is great as well, so I don’t think the program will have any problems going forward at all. That being said, I’m excited to see how much the program progresses even after I leave.”

How do you feel about playing against the teams in your division this year?

• “We have some pretty good competition in our division, but none of them are unbeatable. Last year being our first year in 5A, I think we were a little intimidated. I can feel that this year will be different, because we all have this motivation to win. Our greatest competition will be Rex Putnam, returning conference champions, but as I said before, no one is unbeatable. My goal is to catch all of these teams that beat us last year by surprise by outplaying them and beating them.”

What are your strong points of your team?

• “We have many strong points as a team. One of the main ones I would say is our desire to win, and the will we have to do so. We are all passionate players, which makes the atmosphere on the field very positive. We are all very hard working, and we know how to use each other’s strengths during a game. We’re a great group of girls, and we all love each other and the game which is definitely one of the strongest things a team could have.”

What are your feelings about playing in college?

• “I’m very excited to play college soccer next year. I get the chance to continue my soccer career and keep doing what I love. I’m a little nervous because college soccer is very different from high school and club, but I’m ready for a challenge and I’m ready to take it head-on. I can’t wait to see what other opportunities come from it as well.”

How do you feel about your team’s chemistry?

• “Our team chemistry is amazing. We have the best chemistry out of all the teams I’ve been in for all 4 years. We are a really tight-knit group of girls and we act like we’re sisters. We have a strong bond on and off the field, which is rare for a lot of teams. I’m excited for this season because I get to play the sport I love with the people I love.”

How long have you been playing soccer?

• “I’ve been playing since I was 3 so 14 years.”

How can you balance school and playing soccer?

• “Balancing school and soccer can get pretty challenging at times but it’s not impossible. I try to get my homework done ahead of time, especially on game days since we play later. It just takes motivation so you aren’t caught behind.”