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By Taylor Kauffman
When Crocker girls soccer coach Kayla Danielson went to state, she played on the boys team. Now, she has the chance to go back as a coach for the Lady Lions — A big thanks to senior Callie McMurtrey.
“The mercy rule is eight ahead in a game, and there have been games she’s scored eight goals. It’s very uncommon to score that many, especially for one player,” Danielson said.
“They always try to shut Callie down, they always have like five girls on her. She gets frustrated too, but she always works through it,” said senior teammate Emily Boberg.
Callie scored seven goals as a freshman, but when she switched to playing forward her sophomore year she scored nine-times that — shattering both the girls and boys school records.
“It’s awesome. The fact that I could break the girls was amazing, and when I figured out that I broke the boys record it was even more amazing,” McMurtrey said.
And in 19 games this season, she’s set the record again.
“She broke it her sophomore year with 63, and she broke her own record this season with 68,” Danielson said.
Unfortunately, since COVID knocked out her junior season, she’s not going to set any state career records, but right now she’s locked in on a different kind of goal.
“As a team, winning districts was a big part of it, so I’m hoping to make it to state this year,” McMurtrey said.
She knows her success wouldn’t come without the team, and as much as the Lions want to make it to state for their coach, they want it a little more for Callie.
“I think the girls really want to win this for her as well. They really look up to her, and think a whole lot of her,” said Danielson.
“She loves soccer, she’s very dedicated to it and it’s always been a goal for her, so if we don’t do it for ourselves, we definitely do it for her,” Boberg said.
A family of Lions is called a pride, and Callie and her team should have a whole lot of that whether or not they advance to the final four on Saturday.
