Before this soccer season began, coach Mike Hines said that Lesleigh Fenton had “completely stepped up” as a team leader. Her next step will be up to the college level.
Fenton has signed to play soccer next year at Evangel University. She’ll be taking what she’s learned in four years of varsity soccer at Republic, along with her experience in club soccer during those years.
Before the season began, Fenton organized a January workout schedule, winning early buy-in from her teammates. She led those off-season, player-only workouts until the official pre-season began. Fenton credits Hines for building her leadership skills as a young player.
“Hines kind of forced me to be a leader. My freshman year I remember him saying, ‘I can’t hear you, so you’re not yelling loud enough.’ He showed me how to find my voice in soccer,” Fenton says.
This year, that leadership has stood out to Hines. The Lady Tigers are off to a 6-1 start, in part because of Fenton’s drive to achieve success both for herself and her teammates.
“She’s always been one to nurture instead of criticize. She’s always been trying to help her peers become better on and off the field,” Hines says. “I’ve never had to worry about her academics. She’s really been a great example of a student-athlete.”
Fenton says she’s looking forward to continuing her career in college, where the level of play is higher. And she’s also glad to be continuing her career so close to home.
“That’s everything, because I love my family and I get homesick when I spend the night at somebody’s house,” she says. “Being able to be right down the road from my friends and family is going to be awesome.”
