Zumwalt South Soccer Player Adjust to New Position

Breaking into a new position is never an easy thing for a prep soccer player.

But Molly White seems to be making the adjustment pretty well, despite a late season shift in a relatively new varsity career. White, a sophomore, played mostly midfield and defender in the 2011 campaign, but Zumwalt South coach Vernon Gano moved her to forward in the May 12 contest against Francis Howell North.

White scored the first goal of her varsity career in Zumwalt South’s next outing against Timberland in the Class 3, District 8 Tournament at Troy Buchannan High School.

Gano called the goal “nice” and also credited White with a strong performance against Howell North.  

Sophomore Taylor Wade scored South’s first goal with 3:40 left to play in the first half. South led 1-0 at halftime. White scored a little under three minutes into the second half.

“I’ve been really frustrated because I haven’t been able to score,” White said. “At halftime they told us we really needed to score and get another goal because one wasn’t good enough.”

White said she sought guidance from teammates in her first game as a forward against Howell North.

“I told Taylor [Wade] ‘just give me direction, I don’t know how to play this,’” White said. “But I gave it everything I had.”

White admitted she was getting a feel for the new position by Districts. Playing forward made the sophomore learn how to react to the ball as it was coming up field as opposed to pushing the ball to the front as a midfielder does. It also allowed her to develop speed. 

“In the front you have to sprint a lot more and in the midfield you have to learn how to conserve your energy because you have to get back before you go forward,” she said.

Zumwalt South beat Timberland once in regular season play. The Lady Bulldogs defeated Zimberland 2-0 on Apr. 7.

“We sent a message today,” White said. “We’d played them before and beat them, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t beat us again.”

White played mostly junior varsity last year but was playing both junior varsity and varsity at the end of the season. The sophomore said she likes being able to concentrate her energies on the varsity game this year.

The forward started playing recreational soccer in kindergarten and moved up to select soccer in the second grade when she started playing with the St. Charles based Mid-Rivers soccer club. Steve Larsen has coached her since her recreational soccer days.     

“It really helps to have the same coach because they get to know you very well as a player,” White said.

White said she would like to continue her soccer career at the college level.