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Parri’s at the Center of H-K’s Improvement

Kaitlyn Parri has learned a lot about the importance of playing with tenacity as a member of the Haddam-Killingworth (H-K) girls’ soccer squad. This attribute has helped Kaitlyn become a key player at a critical position with the Cougars.

Kaitlyn is a sophomore who plays center midfielder for H-K. On the heels of a season in which the team won just three games, Kaitlyn and the Cougars have been making strides in 2018 and currently sport a record of 3-6-3. Kaitlyn, who has one goal with one assist on the campaign, has also helped H-K increase its scoring output. The Cougars have netted 15 goals through their first 12 games this fall after having scored just five goals at that same juncture of the season last year.

“Playing center mid, the primary job of the position is to shed light on the other positions. You want to involve more people as the play progresses,” says Kaitlyn, who also plays club soccer for the Connecticut Rush. “You have to be selfless at the position, release the ball quick, and stay composed.”

While learning how to keep her cool in pressure-packed moments, Kaitlyn has discovered that you also need to be proactive on the soccer field. Kaitlyn is always ready to make her move and advance the ball toward the opposition’s goal.

“Playing high-school soccer has taught me to be more aggressive and stronger on the ball,” Kaitlyn says. “Going into high school, I wasn’t as physical as I am now. I think soccer at this level just promotes this certain drive in players.”

Kaitlyn likes that she gets to make a difference on every possession while patrolling both ends of the pitch. She feels that being in the thick of things at the midfielder’s position makes it easier to connect with her teammates.

“I love always being in the play and constantly moving. I like staying in the vicinity of the ball. At that position, it makes it easier for everyone else if you are always in the play,” says Kaitlyn. “The fact that you’re always moving is also one of the tougher parts of the position, but I love having a leadership role on the field.”

First-year Head Coach Steve Johnstone has been emphasizing cohesion and camaraderie among the Cougars. Kaitlyn feels that H-K’s chemistry away from the field is helping the team play better and find the back of the net more often this season.

“Coach Johnstone has done an amazing job and helped to boost the team morale, and we now trust each other more on the field,” Kaitlyn says. “A team goal has been to boost our values and set a nice tone for the team, and it’s all helped us score more goals this year.”

Coach Johnstone says that Kaitlyn’s impact on H-K is evident when comparing the team’s 2018 numbers to last year’s stats. He adds that the sophomore is a tireless worker and an excellent facilitator.

“From start to finish of every game, Kaitlyn has been reliable. This time last year, the program had only scored five goals and conceded 38. This year, we’ve had eight different goal scorers to this point for a total of 15 and have only conceded 26. Kaitlyn has been a huge part of that,” says Johnstone. “The way she commands the middle and distributes the ball around shows in our total stats for this season, offensively and defensively. The best part for me is knowing she’s only a sophomore.”

Kaitlyn feels grateful that playing soccer has taught her about taking initiative in order to get the job done. Kaitlyn plans on adhering to this approach throughout her time at the high school and beyond.

“Soccer has taught me a lot about working hard and that it’s ultimately up to you to get anything done,” says Kaitlyn. “You have to keep a positive mindset and finish what you started.”