This is Sara's second year selected as "Player of the Year".

Sara was the anchor to our team this year in the most important position. Outside of our league play, she allowed us to be competitive in every game from class B to class D, after graduating 12 seniors and 9 starters. Inside of SENE league play she recorded 3 shutouts and conceded only 5 goals total, 2 being by PK and 1 having been an “own goal”.

In addition, she was the catalyst to our offense as well (even from her goalie position). She took all of our free kicks and sometimes even our corner kicks (no easy task). She tallied 6 assists this year, 4 off of her goalie punts.

I cannot think of one game this season in which she wasn’t the best player to take the field. Sometimes, that can be easily lost while in net, but she made her presence known despite that. In SENE and out of it, she continued to make 4-5 saves per game that no other goalie can make, even to my amazement sometimes. You wouldn’t believe her highlight reel if we showed it to you.

She’s committed to play college already at the D2 level, and is the reigning SENE player of the year from 2021. She was not content with that and instead of resting on her laurels she’s been even better this year. It would have been very easy to chalk this year up to a lost season after losing so many from last year, but instead she thrived in a huge leadership role, and allowed us secure the #3 seed despite fielding 6 starters who have never played soccer before.

Off the field, she represents what being a “student”-athlete is all about, excelling in the classroom. In addition, She is our team captain, and a consummate leader, and our hardest worker each game and practice.

Without Sara anchoring our team, we most likely would have had to severely adjust our season expectations and any wins would have been hard to come by.

On a personal note, this is my 21st season of high school/prep school coaching and she showed me things this year that I have never seen a student-athlete at this level do. The only other player I’ve coached that even comes close to her in terms of skill, leadership, tenacity and competitive demeanor was a senior member of my DI boys team who was an All-American from about 15 years back. I truly believe she is the best female goalkeeper in New England and one of the top ones in the nation. I humbly offer up this statement and my support in nominating Sara Avery for SENE Player of the Year.

SAT 11/12 - DUBLIN @ ST. ANDREW'S