Vashon’s new head coach for the girls’ soccer program, April Bottman-Haase, has played soccer her whole life and coached since even before she graduated high school.

“I just love soccer so much,” she said.

She’s coached kindergarten through high school, after-school programs to premier league and select soccer, and she’s excited to now be coaching a competitive team at the high school level.

“In my mind, the focus in middle school is developing and growing the players to learn soccer, to become better soccer players as a whole,” Bottman-Haase said. “And with high school, they’re doing that, but it’s also competitive, and you need to try to win games.”

As head coach of the high school girls’ soccer program, Bottman-Haase has only been working with the girls for about a month — “so I’m still getting to know them,” she said.

But there’s no doubt this is a team that’s hungry to win and one with “so much potential,” she said.

The team lost around a dozen graduating seniors last spring, but returns this year with around a couple dozen players and a strong base of younger players, especially sophomores. This is a rebuilding year and one in which the team will re-learn how they work together.

“Everybody on the team is extremely determined and focused,” Bottman-Haase said. “They’re a really great group of players. There’s a lot of skill there, a lot of desire to do well together, and it seems like a very supportive group, too. So it’s really exciting.”

They’ll be losing seven seniors to graduation after this year, but Bottman-Haase predicts gaining another 6-8 players next year from the growing middle school program, setting the girls’ soccer team up for bright years ahead.

One goal the players made for themselves this year is better communication, she said.

“They’re definitely out there talking with each other and trying to coordinate and and work together,” she said. “That’s a big thing as a coach for me — I try to let them run their game. They’re on the field, they need to be able to make the decisions, talk to each other and figure things out. … My goal is to help them learn, give them feedback and see what they do with it.”

The girls played their first game on a small field against Annie Wright on Sept. 11, taking a hard 7-0 loss.

It’s been “infinite growth” since then, Bottman-Haase said. The team is playing possession-style, emphasizing ball control and tight, accurate passes. They’re also working on transitioning from defense to offense to attacking, Bottman-Haase said, working to really learn to work as a team.

She “really started to see” that progress starting around mid-September, Bottman-Haase said.

After goalie Vesper Veldhuis had to step back due to a back injury, Avery Ranney and Nya Hart stepped up and stepped in. Goalie is a stressful position which requires poise and maturity — no easy challenge to train for during a rebuilding season.

But Ranney “is just a athletic person, and she’s really developing into a goalkeeper the last two weeks,” Bottman-Haase said, and Hart “is really starting to shine and own it — just a natural instinct in the goalbox.”

“The goalies totally stepped up and owned the box, and really showed their bravery and courage,” Bottman-Haase said. “That determination … is really nice to see.”

Paloma Freda, a senior and tennis player who’s new to soccer, is also training as a goalie and learning the sport “very quickly.”

Other players to watch include senior team captains Besa Hruska and Natalie Vickers. Vickers has been great at recruiting players and both have been skilled, offensive players and “great role models” for the team, Bottman-Haase said.

Freshmen Josie Reiling and Annabelle Thompson are also strong offensive players growing into the team. Sophomores Rosemary Bauman, Lillith Provo, Isa Knowler and Miriam Casad are helping build a strong core for the team and showing skill at adapting with other players. Junior Rachel Gross, a “really strong player,” has been out sick much of the season, and fellow junior Ava Coombs has “really stepped up on defense.”

“You have really great communication over the different age groups,” Bottman-Haase said. “And it’s creating a good vibe on the field. And everybody feels quite supported. It’s pretty exciting to me as a coach that they kind of geek out on that.”

Bottman-Haase foresees the team holding strong in at least the middle of the league standings this year. If the team continues to gel and improve, the sky’s the limit.

“It’s just really hard to predict,” Bottman-Haase said. “I could totally see us going really strong. But I also could see us … figuring out, taking a little bit more time, and next year (coming back) to be that much stronger. It’s hard to say. … The potential in the players is there.”

Bellevue Christian High School is a rival and a challenge for Vashon, and one that delivered the team another hard loss on Sept. 24 in an away game at Marymoor park.

Vashon will have a chance to return that loss to its sender on Oct. 12, when they face Bellevue at home.

Bottman-Haase is also excited for another chance to play Annie Wright on October 8 at home, this time on a properly-sized field.

“I’m excited to replay them and show themselves what they have … for the girls to own the field on that one,” she said.

No matter what happens, Bottman-Haase knows she’s got something special on her hands.

“They’re working so hard,” she said. “I’m really proud of them.”

SCHEDULED GAMES

• 5:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3: Seattle Christian School (Varsity, at home)

• 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct 5: Life Christian Academy (Varsity, at home)

• 5:15 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8: Annie Wright (Varsity, at home)

• 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12: Bellevue Christian High School (Varsity, at home)

• 5:45 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 15: East Jefferson High School (Varsity, at home)

• 6:15 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 17: Klahowya Secondary School (Varsity, at Klahowya)

• 5:15 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 22: Klahowya Secondary School (Varsity, at home)

• 5:45 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 24: Cascade Christian School (Varsity, at home)

• 5:00 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 31: Life Christian Academy (Varsity, at Charles Wright Academy)

Alex Bruell photo The Vashon girls soccer team scrimmages on the afternoon of Sept. 30.

Alex Bruell photo The Vashon girls soccer team scrimmages on the afternoon of Sept. 30.

Alex Bruell photo The Vashon girls soccer team scrimmages on the afternoon of Sept. 30.

Alex Bruell photo The Vashon girls soccer team scrimmages on the afternoon of Sept. 30.

Alex Bruell photo The Vashon girls soccer team scrimmages on the afternoon of Sept. 30.