Carrying around the “C” title is a big responsibility.
For Penn women’s soccer, however, the role of team captain is lifted off the weight on one singular person. Instead, seniors Peyton Raun, Sizzy Lawton, Emily Pringle, and Miranda Farman share the title.
Following their match against Navy on Sept. 8, the senior captains reflected on their important role within the team.
“It’s a really big honor because the whole team trusts you,” Pringle said. “They trust you with everything that is going on on the field and behind the scenes.”
The captains act as the players' first point of contact. They make sure to keep their teammates on their toes, provide constant feedback, and keep the lines of communication between the coaching staff and players open. No one gets left behind under their leadership.
“I think it is great to have us as a connection before needing to get a coach involved,” Raun said. “Sometimes there are things we can just establish and deal with together, which is great. At the end of the day, they are all leaders too. Everybody has something to offer, everyone has a different leadership style on the team, and they’re just as important as the name of a captain. There’s a leader in every locker.”
All four captains were appointed to their current positions by their coaches and fellow teammates at the start of the season. As a whole, the team selected who they believed the strongest leaders were.
“We all bring something new to the table, we all bring a new perspective, we all bring different opinions, and also the four of us just work really well together,” Farman said. “Besides the fact of soccer, we are all just really close friends.”
When asked about their goals for the season, the captains listed a few: to win the Ivy League Championship, furthering relationships by learning to be better people, and fostering a team they love, leaving a legacy.
“It’s our last season of soccer, which is pretty crazy, so just embrace it,” Raun said. “For me at least, it is the end of an era. I have been playing since I was four years old, and I am moving on after this, and I won’t be playing soccer anymore, so I think just really enjoying this time that we have together is important.”
“Have fun,” Lawton added. “It is our last year, leave it all out there.”
Penn women’s soccer is coming off of a strong 2021 season. It concluded with a 9-5-2 overall record and an impressive 9-1 home record – only tarnished by a season-ending loss to Princeton.
The captains intend to strengthen the team’s 90-minute play. Thursday’s tie to Navy was just 10 minutes shy of a victory. The current focus will turn to scoring more and scoring earlier in games as defense intensifies to secure those shutout wins.
The seniors also made sure to highlight the many gifts that come as part of being captains as well. Making sure every decision pleases everyone at once is a struggle, and there may be some tough conversations to be had every now and again, but the captains find solace in being there for their teammates.
“There’s a lot of girls on the team but being able to comfort each and every individual on the team and be a great support system to them is a great feeling,” Lawton said.
“The biggest gift is getting to know everyone on the team and really being there for everyone,” Pringle added. “By having everyone’s back, it’s like a family in there. Yes, we’re the captains, but our team culture is very much like family.”
The quad of captains will lead their team to the west coast for a two-game series in California against Saint Mary’s College and the University of California, Berkeley, where they continue in their efforts to put all their hopes for the program into action.
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