Derrick Webb, Staff Writer
GREENFIELD — If you watched any McClain girls soccer game last fall, chances are you saw Kerigan Pollard find the back of the net.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
Pollard had frequent flyer miles near the goal as a junior, leading the Tigers to a 6-9-2 record … the most single-season wins in the program’s short history. She scored a school record 46 goals while passing out 10 assists in the process.
Quite simply, she was the Tigers’ best offensive player, by far, and one of the best players, overall, in the entire Southeast District.
We caught up with the All-Ohio forward before her senior year begins, discussing her individual and team goals, how she’s working to be even better and much more.
Question: This offseason is obviously unlike any other you’ve ever gone through. How are you and your teammates handling the situation and how do you keep focused on the task at hand?
Pollard: This season has been very unusual, but I feel my team has taken full advantage of the situation. I think we’ve remained focused because we’re coming off of a record-breaking season for the girls soccer program at McClain and would love to accomplish that again.
Q: Last year, you were your team’s leader and its best scorer. How have you tried to further your game during the offseason?
KP: After last season, I began looking at what I can do while being involved in other sports. I joined my school’s powerlifting club to improve as an athlete overall. This offseason, I attended a camp at The Ohio State University and was planning on going to camps at Wright State, but they have been cancelled multiple times because of COVID-19
Q: As of now, fall sports are happening. What does being able to play your senior year mean to you?
KP: I have always looked forward to my senior year for as long as long as I can remember. To play my senior year would be amazing. I love being someone who all my girls on my team can look up to in all aspects of the game and in school. I have worked very hard for 13 years to get this final year before moving on to the next level.
Q: What is the strongest attribute of your team, as a whole, this season?
KP: As a team this year, our strongest attribute is being a very close-knit team and having the determination to keep improving the program here each year.
Q: You have a lot of returning starters on the roster. But you also have to fill some gaps from your graduated seniors last fall. How do you fill those gaps?
KP: We lost some good seniors last year and we have some big shoes to fill. But this season, we have moved some returners into different places to try and fill those gaps in our lineup. As of now, they’re all taking leadership and working really hard.
Q: What are your individual and team goals this season?
KP: Coming off of last season, there are many individual and team goals for me. Some individual goals are definitely getting my 100th goal, mostly because I’m only 18 goals away. And possibly getting the school record for total goals in four years. I also received second-team All-Ohio last season, so it would be a huge accomplishment to get first-team this year. As for the team, we have many goals. We would love to continue to have a season like last year after having the most wins in a season, and possibly win some tournament games this year.
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