(Lakeridge High School soccer player Kaitlyn Korte-photo by )Age: 18
Originally from: Brownsburg, Indiana
Current City/School/Grade: Lake Oswego/Senior/Lakeridge High School
Sport: Soccer
Position: Right center defender
Team Name: Lakeridge
Coach: Karl Granlund
Highlights of season: “On March 10 th, I tore my ACL and couldn’t play for the duration of my club season. I even missed my team winning Surf Cup, an extremely tough tournament in San Diego. I was devastated to know I would have to be out for a while and wouldn’t know the exact date I’d be back to playing again. But with a lot of hard work and determination, I came back after exactly five months, and was able to play the whole first game of the season and have continuously ever since.”
How she got started: “I started playing when I was four and did almost every sport possible just like most kids do at that age, and soccer was really the only thing I had fun doing, so I stuck with it.”
Coach’s advice: “‘Don’t be afraid to fail.’ It is always written on the white board in our team room.”
Favorite part: “I love the awesome feeling of being able to have the best save or making the perfect pass. It feels great to be able to give it your all for not only yourself, but for each and every one of your teammates.”
Favorite meal the night before the big event: “We have pasta feeds at someone’s house the night before our game. It’s great; we fuel up on salad, bread, and different types of pasta.”
Off-season? “Even more soccer. Club soccer with Oswego Southside Soccer Academy (which is now Crossfire Oregon Soccer Club. I go insane without soccer.”
Rules to live by: “Never compare yourself to others; only compare yourself to the best you can be.”
Best Quote Advice: “You can’t just beat a team; you have to leave a lasting impression in their minds so they never want to see you again.”- Mia Hamm
Other interests: “I am a member of key club so I do a lot of volunteer work during the school week as well as weekends. I’m also a yearbook editor and a member of National Honor Society.”
On her iPod: “Mostly country music with a very small mix of everything else.”
Favorite books: “The Great Gatsby and “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
The one thing someone may not know about her: “Weird facts about me – I still have a baby tooth that most likely won’t fall out until I’m in my late thirties. I am allergic to artificial cinnamon, which is an ingredient in Big Red Gum, Altoids, Hot Tamales. And, I have a fear of whales.”
Serious fact not many people know: “My great grandma ‘Granny’ is my role model in life. She is such a strong woman that has been through a lot and I love her so much.”
What’s next? “I plan on playing college soccer, but haven’t gotten my big break yet. I’m hoping it’ll happen soon.”
