In 2019, the Women’s World Cup drew a crowd of over 57,900 for the final match between the United States and the Netherlands. Players began to explode in popularity, as the women’s game was brought to new heights. This level of success was unimaginable for many of these players when they were teenagers. Anya Button spent two months with a preparatory high school girls soccer team, documenting their practices, games, and friendship through a combination of 35mm film and digital photographs.
Returning to campus, the team knew they would struggle to top their strong 2018-2019 season. With the addition of many new underclassmen, the team knew they would be entering a rebuilding phase. Sure enough, the squad struggled at the start of the season but soon found their stride midway through the season. The team’s resilience was evident throughout these early matches and the girls maintained a positive attitude.
When asked why they continued to hustle in face of hardship, Sophomore midfielder, Bridget Horst (#10) said, “I think the reason why I love prep school soccer so much is how the interschool rivalries create a high level of competition. Also, because it’s a small league, you end up knowing many of the girls on other teams — which makes it even more fun.”
Though they went on to secure several valuable wins over top programs, their efforts proved futile, as the team failed to qualify for New England’s.
