Credit: Wayland Girls Varsity Soccer Instagram

WSPN’s Natalie Greenaway discusses the WHS girls soccer banquet and the captains for the new season.

Wayland High School girls soccer had its 2023 season banquet on Thursday, Nov. 9. The varsity team voted on captains a few weeks prior to the banquet, and during the banquet, the captains for the 2024 season were announced. The new captains are juniors Zoe Mittelsteadt, Jackie Rainville and Annie McQuilkin. All three girls were voted in as leaders of the team because of their experience and time playing on the varsity team.

“I am looking forward to trying to get the team motivated for the season,” Mittelsteadt said.

Over the summer, the captains of the girls soccer team hold a series of captains practices in which the girls can meet each other and get some practice in a low-stress environment. The captains practices are usually no longer than two hours and consist of drills and fun games to try to get the players excited for the upcoming season.

The captains of the past 2023 seasons were seniors Missy Prince, Lily Mele and Abby Raftery. According to the 2023 captains, all three of the 2024 captains work very well together as both teammates and leaders.

“[Mele], [Raftery] and I also got along really well,” Prince said. “I think that we worked really well together throughout the season.”

After leading the team this year, Prince sees the new captains as true role models for the future of the team.

“I think that [the new captains] will work really well together too,” Prince said. “All three of them care so much, and they always give every practice and every game their all. I think that will rub off on the rest of the team.”

While the 2023 season ended before the team would have liked it to, the new captains have mentioned that they have bigger goals for next year.

“I want to make the playoffs because we were one spot away this year,” Mittelsteadt said.

Mittelsteadt received the most valuable player (MVP) award this year, along with Dual County League (DCL) Eastern Massachusetts 2nd team and was a DCL All-Star. Rainville was also a DCL All-star this season.

“[The 2024 captains] are all really smart when it comes to soccer,” Prince said. “They know what they are talking about and I think that the team will benefit from that a lot.”

According to the captains, the old and current players on the girls varsity soccer team seem to be enthusiastic about the 2024 season.

“They are going to do an amazing job,” Prince said. “Even now as juniors they’re leaders on the team and I know that they will do a great job next year.”