SUBMIT
Makaylah Spencer puts fortuitous faith in herself and abilities after having played soccer virtually year-round for over a decade. Her belief in her abilities led to her having a breakout season for the Valley Regional girls’ soccer team this fall.
The sophomore grew up playing many different sports–including softball, baseball, basketball, tennis, and flag football–but it all started with soccer at the age of 3. In only her second campaign with the Warriors, Makaylah established herself as an offensive force by scoring 20 goals this season and being involved in over 50% of the Warriors’ tallies, as they qualified for states following a 10-5-1 regular season.
“For me, soccer was the most special sport because of how you play the game. When you do score, it’s such an indescribable, passionate feeling. Soccer stands out to me because of how many players around the world come together and play. The sport is so technical and amazing to watch. Not many athletes can just join the game and pick it up fast,” says Makaylah. “I would say the biggest key factors of my personal success would definitely be God and the people close around me. My family is very supportive of what I do on the field. I play on my club team surrounded by such great players. Another big part is my mindset, and once I learned how to play with confidence and stopped overthinking, I took my game to another level. I learned to trust myself more with the ball because I know the work I put in.”
Makaylah goes on to explain that certain people may have a knack for the pitch, but the true greats of the game are the ones who put in the labor when no one is watching. She also has some preeminent role models to emulate in her copious amount of time spent in the film room.
“I also think that certain players have more natural talent than others, but without hard work, talent means nothing,” says Makaylah. “I watched so much pro soccer growing up. I would look up the players’ best passing videos, and from watching that, I definitely learned very creative ways to play. When I do my individual training, I focus on the technique of getting it down. I’d rather do the same drill 100 times and master one move than do 100 different drills and not master any of them. Also, my coaches have had a huge impact on how I play. I had great coaches in my life who made a big impact on how I think and play.”
In reflecting upon her star-studded season, Makaylah put pen to paper before the campaign even kicked off. She adds that she didn’t make the text become actual tangible tallies alone, as she had some tremendous colleagues assisting her along the way.
“I remember after training before any of our games had started, me and my coach were talking about my goals and one of them being to achieve 20 goals. I went home and wrote them down in my notebook,” Makaylah says. “To achieve 20 goals was a great feeling and made all the hard work worth it. I’m happy to have helped my team. I wouldn’t have reached 20 goals without my teammates, and I’m very thankful for them. My mindset has changed a lot since I started playing for Valley. I definitely gained more confidence with the successful season I had. I trained harder because I wanted to achieve a lot with my team. I also experienced tough losses that definitely made me grow as a player.”
As a striker, Makaylah is fueled by her opportunities to bury the ball in the back of the net. She details that it can be hard to keep her name in the stat book on a nightly basis, but she balances it all by knowing when to pass it aside or go for the goal.
“For me, the greatest part about my position would obviously be being able to have lots of chances to score, but I also think passing is one of my strengths on the field. And when I’m able to get in a deep position to receive the ball, I play the ball to my teammates,” says Makaylah. “I would say scoring and passing would be my favorite parts of playing forward, along with getting involved in 1-v-1 scenarios. The hardest parts would be staying consistent in scoring goals every game and watching the line to stay onside.”
When her tank may seem like it is empty, Makaylah finds some reserve amounts by looking to her biggest support systems. When it comes to putting the whole picture of life in perspective, a drop of gratitude helps her give that extra inch.
“When I’m on the field and I’m tired, God definitely pushes me, or I am also pushed when I see my parents in the stands supporting me,” says Makaylah. “When I’m frustrated at myself, I think about how grateful I am to wake up every day doing what I love, and that’s playing soccer. I also know how hard my teammates work on and off the field, and I want to give as much energy towards them as they do. If I’m under-performing in a match, I take responsibility for not training enough, and I try to work harder on my own.”
Valley girls’ soccer Head Coach Lloyd Warren explains that what makes Makaylah so effective on the field is not only her steady ability to bury the ball past keepers, but also her knack to do it in a multitude of ways. Yet she can also dish it out as much as she can give it by being a selfless and smart ball distributor.
“Makaylah has been a great asset to our program these past two years. She is a forward who embodies creativity and unpredictability, which makes her so hard to defend,” says Warren. “This has made her a cornerstone of our attacking play. What I love most about Makaylah is her ability to be so deceptive when she plays; she consistently outwits defenders with her clever movement and sharp decision-making. Whether it’s finding the back of the net with clinical finishes from inside the box, or unleashing powerful strikes from distance, Makaylah is a constant scoring threat. Her ability to create opportunities for teammates is equally impressive, showcasing her vision and unselfish play. She is a true game-changer, and she elevates everyone around her and continues to be a vital force in our success.”
Moving into the latter half of her high school tenure, Makaylah does not want to rest on her personal laurels and keep the point threshold on the incline. For the Warriors, she knows they want to build up to eventual crowns, though they only get there with small steps first.
“My personal goals for next season and further down my path would be to score 30 goals and to reach 100 goals throughout my high school career,” says Makaylah. “My team has achieved many goals that we talked about before the season. I would say for team goals moving forward, I would like us to get more Shoreline wins to put us in a better position for making the Shoreline and state tournaments. I also want everyone to be happy and play with confidence, and know that the end goal is to win states and to just take it game by game.”
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