The Lady Panther soccer team has seen much success over the years, but this has only served to prepare the players for playing forward. High school is competitive in nature. However, several players have had a new set of experiences playing in college.

Kayla Feigenbaum, class of 2015

Feigenbaum began playing soccer at the age of two and continued on to play as a forward for the Lady Panthers starting her sophomore year. After graduating from Starr’s Mill, Feigenbaum went on to play at North Georgia but had to stop when she tore her ACL for the third time. “It was always ‘I want to get back in this game.’ There was never really a doubt,” Feigenbaum said. “When they told me I tore my ACL again, I had to quit.”

In her senior year, Feigenbaum was the third leading scorer with 16 points. She currently ranks 14th on the career scoring list at Starr’s Mill. However, Feigenbaum does not see either of those as her proudest moment. “My proudest moment would be I negged two people yelled ole and then scored and then I did a roundoff back handspring,” Feigenbaum said.

Chayla Park, class of 2015

Park began playing soccer at the age of two, quit for a year at four, but picked it back up to play with the Lady Panthers starting her freshman year. At the Mill, Park played on the back defensive line for four years. “In college soccer, it’s a new environment you’re transitioning into, an older environment where there are girls who are more experienced than you,” Park said. “In high school, you’re kind of babied. In college, the transition is harder.”

Since Park has been on the field, there has been one feeling that has never left. “There will be a moment in a game […] where I’ll look around at my teammates and time will slow down, and I know that is where I am supposed to be,” Park said.

At Brenau University, Park has played as a member of their defense line. She believes that soccer will remain a part of her life after graduation and hopes to play club soccer.

Paige Betsill, class of 2015

Betsill was the keeper for the Mill, and holds the most career saves with 256 saves in 87 games over four years. In saving the ball 78 percent of the time, Betsill helped the team achieve 48 shutouts in her career. Bestill advises younger players to “choose a school that you would want to graduate from and get started early emailing coaches to get their attention.”

Betsill suggests that athletes pick a college they plan to graduate from, because this fall she transferred from Columbus State to the University of Georgia for a medical program that Columbus State does not offer. However, during her time at Columbus State, Betsill has traveled to play with her team, and helped keep them victorious as their keeper. “My freshman year [at college], we had 36 people on our team,” Betsill said. “We actually would split up into three teams at practice and be able to have 11 versus 11. That also made it a lot more competitive.”

Lauren Yoss, class of 2016

Yoss took the title for the leading scorer for the Lady Panthers in her senior year with 221 points. She also led in assists with 75 assists. 

Yoss went to Armstrong State University where she played her freshman year. Unfortunately, Armstrong State merged with Kennesaw University her sophomore year. This led to all of the athletics at Armstrong being cut, and Yoss stopped playing soccer. “There was a lot higher of competition so you had to work harder,” Yoss said. “Just because you started one game doesn’t guarantee the next, and it was more physical with training.”

Even with breaking multiple records for the Lady Panthers and playing at Armstrong, Yoss recognizes her recovery from injury as her biggest accomplishment. “I think my proudest moment was in one of my last games playing soccer where after I tore my ACL and I finally felt like myself,” Yoss said. “I just felt like it wasn’t holding me back anymore. I think that helped me make the decision that I am more than just playing soccer and there is more out there in the world than just playing soccer.”

Ashlyn Walloch, class of 2016

Starr’s Mill keeper Walloch helped the Lady Panthers earn 33 shutouts, and saved 67 percent of the shots sent her way. Walloch was keeper for the Mill for four years, but really shined in her senior year.

“My sophomore year in high school, there was a time where I thought I would give it all up,” Walloch said. “I had worked really hard to make varsity and I didn’t. I thought that I should give it all up, because I thought I wasn’t good enough and I never would be good enough.”

At Truett McConnell University, Walloch has played as their keeper for two years and has pushed herself to improve. Walloch believes that the best advice for rising Panthers is, “Work as hard as you possibly can and things will work out the way they’re supposed to. I never guessed I’d be playing college soccer and my advice would just be work as hard as you possibly can and to never give up and never doubt yourself for a second.”

This year, the Lady Panther soccer season is beginning with a young team that has potential to overcome the same obstacles as these girls have, and possibly overtake their accomplishments.

On Feb. 2, the Mill plays a scrimmage against Spalding County at home starting with the girls’ team at 5:55 p.m. and continuing with the boys’ game at 7:55 p.m. The Lady Panthers begin their season playing five consecutive away games before the first home match against Alexander on Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m.