New Hope High School soccer player Sarah Hern did her best this season to help motivate her teammates.
Yet the senior defender admits there were times when she needed motivation. One such time came after her sophomore year when she needed knee surgery to repair a torn medial collateral ligament.
“I was upset and bent all out of shape,” Hern said. “My dad (George) stepped in. He wasn’t going to let this stress me out. He would not let me give up on playing soccer again. Each morning at breakfast, he would write, ‘Never give up’ on my napkin.
“That is the kind of love and support I have gotten from my parents. They have always been there. They have made me the leader I have become.”
Whatever the challenge, Hern always answered the bell. Her leadership, offensive prowess, and defensive ability helped lead the Lady Trojans to the second round of the Class 5A North State playoffs and a 13-5-3 record.
For her contributions, Hern has been named The Dispatch’s girls soccer co-Player of the Year.
“Sarah is one of those girls that you look at and go, ‘Wow,’ ” New Hope coach Mary Nagy said. “She has so many positive attributes that she brings to the field. Not only is she gifted athletically and academically, she is a leader on the field. She does her best to put her teammates in the best position possible to have success.
“At the same time, she is very coachable. A lot of players with her abilities do not take to coaching. However, she comes out and ready to work hard every day, ready to listen, ready to make her team the best it can be.”
The Lady Trojans worked past youth and inexperience to have an incredible season.
“We had a lot of girls playing at an advanced level for their age,” Hern said. “It was a matter of trusting each other, being there for each other, and supporting each other. We had to keep each other motivated. There are a lot of teams out there that are not as encouraging to one another.
“It was a matter of coming together and working as one. That is what allows you to win games.”
Leadership typically falls to seniors. Hern accepted the role a little earlier, taking a more active role in the direction of the team as a sophomore.
“Coach Nagy calls me the mom because I try to take my leadership role off the soccer field,” Hern said. “I try to keep up with everybody at school. It is more than a soccer team thing. Outside the school, we go hang out, go out to eat, do things together. If somebody needs a tutor or if they need this or that, I try to be there for them.
“I am a helpful person, a people person. All of the girls look up to me. The girls trust me as a role model and look up to me. They come and tell me their secrets. I felt like I was consistently being watched. My grades, my actions, whatever I am doing, it has to be the right thing to be doing.”
Earlier this season, Hern moved from the midfield to defender. Nagy felt the move was necessary to help solidify the team’s defensive efforts. The move also allowed Hern to help her teammates to make adjustments easier on offense.
“Sarah didn’t bat an eye when we asked her to move,” Nagy said. “It was whatever was in the best interest of the team. That is the type of player she is, always willing to listen, lean, adapt. Even the professionals don’t know everything about the game. You can give Sarah constructive criticism and it makes her a better player. The creed she lives by is whatever is best for the team. She is so well-rounded she is willing and able to play any position to help the team.
“Sarah always wanted to be there for herself, her teammates, and her coaches.”
Sarah’s sister, Reagan, was a junior on this year’s team. Reagan has been a mainstay on defense, and her influence helped make Sarah’s transition to defender easier.
“It has been great having a sister one year younger than me on the team,” Hern said. “We were born about 18 months apart. She was also a captain on this year’s team. We have been raised like twins. It has never been Sarah is doing this or Reagan is doing this. It has always been Sarah and Reagan are doing this.
“We have always played well together. It was like any other siblings. We push each other to be our best. If one of us loses our cool, the other one will say, ‘Hey, stop it.’ Next year will be different since we won’t be on the same team. I will be in the stands (next year) yelling. It has been good to have her keep me going.”
Remaining on the go has never been a problem for Sarah. At school, she is active in the Senior Beta Club and also runs track. She also is an active member at Mt. Zion Church, where she sings in the adult choir and youth choir.
While the activities are numerous, soccer has always held a special place in Hern’s heart.
“My first soccer team was when I was 8 years old and played at Joe Cook,” Hern said. “In middle school, I didn’t play for a couple of years because I was in Dance Express and I danced. After those couple of years, I missed soccer and realized dance was not something I wanted to do.
“Here at New Hope, I played on the high school for four years. I have also been on a club team in Tupelo the last couple of seasons. What I like most about soccer is the team aspect. Whether it was in high school or park ball, you have your teammates. Every day for six to eight weeks, you play matches and you have practices and you get to hang out with all of these friends. That is what makes it fun.”
Through all of those practices and matches have been parents, George and Cindy Hern. Their oldest daughter credits her parents with being the biggest influence on her athletic career and her life.
“They have been in it for the long haul,” Hern said. “My dad was my coach for a couple of years. He would never allow you to let up. You had to always give 100 percent. Through the ups and downs, they have always wanted what was best for me.”
Hern’s surgery took place after her sophomore season. Then, it was an excruciatingly painful wait to see if she would be able to return as a junior.
“I played through it because I didn’t want to let the seniors on that team down,” Hern said of the injury she suffered as a sophomore. “I was not getting as much playing time as I would have liked and I got real frustrated with my coaches. My parents stayed on me and helped keep my emotions in check.
“The surgery was a good thing, even though it felt like it was two steps back for a while. I felt defeated, but came through it.”
The same sense of determination should serve Hern well as she prepares to play soccer in the fall at Itawamba Community College.
“It was a very successful season, especially since it was my senior year,” Hern said. “I got real close to the girls. I got a lot closer than I thought I would. I got a lot of public attention, which was exciting. Now, I get to further my career in college. This is an exciting opportunity, and I want to take full advantage of it.
“I set my standards really high. Sometimes, I need to realize I am only one person and I don’t need to do everything. But I can’t say no. That is how my family has always been. They encourage, motivate, and support. They remind me to never give up. They remind me to do my best at everything I do.”
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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