Before this soccer season began, Emily Griffith took on a leadership role for the Republic Lady Tigers. She was stepping into a role that had been occupied by Lesleigh Fenton last year. Now, Griffith will join Fenton at the college level, as a member of the Evangel University soccer program.
“I’m so excited,” Griffith says of the opportunity to re-join her teammate. “I remember the… game that I thought was my last game with Lesleigh. To get the opportunity presented to me to be able to join her again, not only as a teammate but as a classmate… and to grow as a player and to grow with Christ with her, I’m so excited. I’ve reached out to her and talked to her about it and she’s excited as well.”
Hauck says Griffith has excelled in the leadership role she adopted before the season.
“She’s been a great role model and leader for our team. She works hard out there and she helps me get the girls going before practice (and) before games. She does a great job of leading,” Hauck says.
Griffith will take her knowledge of soccer, nourished under two head coaches — Hauck and Mike Hines — to an Evangel program that will be in its second season.
“I’m very excited about being able to build upon the technical and tactical capabilities she has in the game—the understanding of the game,” says Evangel coach Bruce Deaton.
Griffith says she’s looking forward to making new friends as part of a new team.
“I didn’t expect to be given the opportunity to play in college. Just getting the opportunity to be on a team again, and know that this isn’t my last year, but getting a whole new team next year and getting all those new friends, I’m really excited about the friendship aspect and also the fellowship aspect of the new team,” she says.
