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11/28/2017 11:00 PMChloe Shaw has patrolled all ends of the field at different levels of the game while growing up as a soccer player. Chloe made the most of her frequent flyer miles on the pitch to not only become a well-rounded player at Guilford High School, but also a top-flight teammate and leader.
Chloe, who recently completed her career as a senior captain midfielder for the Indians, has played soccer for as long as she can remember and competed with several different clubs from the recreation through the Premier levels. While she also does indoor and outdoor track at Guilford, Chloe keeps her soccer skills sharp by playing spring soccer in town.
This fall, Chloe netted six goals with four assists to finish as the leading scorer for the Indians, who won another SCC Hammonasset Division title, while once again qualifying for both the SCC and Class L State tournaments. At season’s end, she was named to the All-SCC Hammonasset Division Team and also made the All-SCC First Team, along with Connecticut Girls’ Soccer Coaches Association All-State Team for Class L.
“I was able to gain a good amount of experience through the amount of soccer I’ve played. I was able to play at a high level when I played for CFC Premier. Training every day is tough, but it is helpful towards staying in shape,” Chloe says. “The chemistry through being on a team helps me, as well. We had a good team chemistry on the team this year. With track, through running with people every day, you build strong relationships, and you want to grow with those people, as well.”
Chloe knows that there were several great candidates who could have been picked to lead the Indians as their captains this season. Chloe feels thankful that she received that opportunity, and she ran with it by always firing up the Indians prior to each game.
“I had a great experience as captain, and [fellow captain Taylor Shutak] was amazing to work with. I was excited when I got picked,” says Chloe. “I loved being able to pump up the team before each game, and I also liked being able to help make changes for the team.”
After parting ways with many stellar seniors from last year’s team, Chloe and the Indians had to reshuffle the deck when it came to their lineup in 2017. However, once everyone settled into the spot that suited them best, Guilford started to find its groove.
“We lost a lot of good seniors from last year, so in the preseason, everyone was a little in the dark about how the season would go,” Chloe says. “It took a little time throughout the year for everyone to fit into their positions and get a good starting 11. We had a lot of girls step up, and we had a strong bench. We had the [three-game losing streak], and it was a bit of an obstacle to overcome, but it was a good experience for us. We gained momentum going into states. We lost to Masuk in states last year on penalty kicks, so to beat them in states on penalty kicks this year, we were so excited.”
With so many moving parts on the field, Chloe feels it’s beneficial when a soccer squad doesn’t have one five-star scorer. In Chloe’s eyes, it’s a great thing when a team features an offense where any player can be the hero on any given play.
“The best feeling is scoring, and we had some trouble scoring goals this year, so any goal we got was meaningful,” she says. “But you never knew who our best player was, so when you are able to string passes together and get that goal, it’s a great feeling.”
Guilford Head Coach Scott McMahon says that Chloe brought the best out of her teammates by being a balanced player on both sides of the ball, as well as a versatile person who juggles many daily obligations.
“Chloe plays with a quiet confidence and leadership that inspires her teammates to do their best and play consistently. Her teammates respect how well-rounded she is off the field with sports, jobs, and academics, and know that she will always be there with a positive comment or smile,” McMahon says. “On the field, she can dominate games equally from a defensive or offensive standpoint. Her strong build and height allow her to disrupt even the best opposing players, while her exceptional speed and change of pace allows her to explode past defenders. She’s the type of player and leader who balances her sportsmanship and quiet demeanor with high standards and a drive to win and make her team successful.”
Chloe says she grew a lot as both a soccer player and a person during her four-year tenure with the Indians. Chloe feels that what she’s gained from the experience will serve her well as she prepares for the next phases of her life.
“The last four years here have been awesome. I had great coaches that taught me so much,” says Chloe, who thanks her parents, John and Melissa, along with Coach McMahon and all of her teammates the past four years. “I learned valuable skills I can take with me, like leadership and how to work with a team. I’m thankful for the coaches and players. They showed me what it takes to be a good person.”