Lakewood Ranch senior Haley Martin instrumental for Lady Mustangs

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Haley Martin faces pressure head-on every time she steps out on the field.
As a captain for the Lakewood Ranch girls soccer team, the senior defender has taken it upon herself to carry on the tradition set forth by the players and captains who came before her.

“I love the rush you get when you walk out on the field,” Martin said. “There’s pressure to do well, especially being a captain, but I like the pressure.”

As one of only a handful of seniors on the Lady Mustangs roster, Martin has been instrumental in helping lead Lakewood to a 14-4-2 record and a No. 2 seed in the Class 4A-District 11 tournament.

The Lady Mustangs began their tournament run Jan. 16 versus No. 7 seed Port Charlotte, with the winner advancing to the district semifinals Jan. 19. And for Martin, a potential third-consecutive district championship is hopefully only the beginning of another successful playoff run.

“We have to really play our game,” Martin said. “If we are all on the same page on the same day, then it’ll be really hard to beat our team.

“I just want us to make it as far as we can; and if we don’t make it as far as we want, then not to be upset about it because we did have a great year,” Martin said.

Martin began playing soccer about 10 years ago, after one of her best friends started playing. It didn’t take long for Martin to realize she had true potential.

Martin joined the Lady Mustangs varsity soccer team as a freshman and has been helping lead Lakewood to district and regional titles ever since.

During her sophomore season, Martin played a pivotal role in the Lady Mustangs’ run to the Final Four, including drilling her penalty kick in the state semifinals.

Last season, Martin saw the Lady Mustangs season come to an end in the regional semifinals. Now in her last season in a Mustang uniform, Martin is determined to recapture the magic of her sophomore year.

This season, Martin has seen her role shift slightly. The defender has played every position on the field, with the exception of goalkeeper, and has scored five goals this season, including one on senior night Jan. 13 — the first goals of her high school career.

But although scoring goals may receive more cheers and accolades, Martin admits being a defender is equally rewarding. Such was the case earlier this season against Braden River, when Martin retrieved a ball that went past the Lady Mustangs goalkeeper and kept the Lady Pirates from scoring.

“It was 0-0 at that point, so it could’ve been a whole (different) game if they had scored,” Martin said. “On defense, I can make runs up top and score, but I like having to stop someone. When you shut down your opponent, it’s the same feeling as you get when you score.”

Following this season, Martin plans to participate in an eight-week training camp at the University of South Florida, with the goal of playing collegiate soccer next year.

“All of those girls on those types of teams want to play and get better,” Martin said. “I don’t feel anyone has ever had the passion for soccer that I’ve had. I want to come out and practice. … How could you not want to be here?”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].