Newman sisters team up in Falcon girls soccer rebuild

For Carlie and Hayley Newman, playing Falcon soccer this season was all in the family.

Their dad used to coach them for the South Whidbey Parks & Recreation District program. And their older sister Lindsey, a former Falcon multi-sport star, hosted an informal Sibling Soccer Camp this summer.

“They were really intense,” Carlie said. “There would be fouling and pushing and crying.”

After a year away from Falcon soccer, Hayley was ready to return for her senior season.

“I’m definitely rusty,” she said.

Hayley last played organized soccer, of which she has seven years experience, in 2010. Last fall, she played for the volleyball team as a reserve hitter, primarily patrolling the net for blocks and kills. She was swayed by the allure of soccer’s conditioning for her main sports: basketball in winter and tennis in spring. Leaving volleyball was a difficult decision, she said.

“I’m pretty even as far as skill level at both. My body’s built for volleyball as far as my height,” Hayley said.

That was all right with her younger sister Carlie, a sophomore on the Falcon girls soccer team, even if her older sister’s return meant one less spot on the varsity roster. This year, Carlie will split time between the junior varsity and varsity squads.

“We haven’t played soccer together, out of all of our years,” Carlie said.

“There definitely is (a rivalry). It’s really competitive in the Newman house. We yell at each other in practice. We think we’re better than each other.”

The Newman sisters both prefer the flashy position at forward. They get to shoot and score, which they’re both accustomed to from time on the Falcon basketball teams, as well. With a full year away from team soccer, however, Hayley admitted she would play whatever spot head coach Ben Rusch designated her.

“I just want to play,” Hayley said. “I’ll play whatever position gives us the best chance for state.”

Contact South Whidbey Record Sports, South Whidbey School District, South Whidbey Fire/EMS Ben Watanabe at bwatanabe@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360-221-5300.

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