Caleb Gottry attends Chandler Preparatory Academy and is a member of the AIA’s Student SID program.

The Chandler Prep Titans girls soccer program graduates six seniors this year. The Titan senior community and parents honored these seniors, and read aloud were their responses to four prompts. The following are some of the responses that stood out. Titan Up.

Question: What is your favorite memory or moment as a part of Chandler Prep soccer?

Lois Brodnik (#8): My favorite memory from my three years of soccer was my sophomore year. I had just started soccer and our first game was a scrimmage at Thatcher. We had to take a bus and, on the way back, it broke down. We were stranded at some random Bashas’ in the middle of nowhere. We were there for over 4 hours and it was freezing cold. Grace hurt her knee in the scrimmage so G-dawg and I were pushing her up and down the aisles in a grocery cart. Sydney bought a tub of ice cream and Lauren bought a bag of tortillas and they ate them on the ground in the parking lot. It was actually pretty miserable at the time, but looking back it was one of my favorite moments of my years in soccer. I am pretty sure that night started my friendship with the Graces so I guess I owe the bus a lot of money for breaking down.

Anika Li (#2): My favorite memory from CPA soccer was the first game of the Epic Tournament. We were playing late at night in 30-degree weather. It was pouring hard and the horrible weather made me sick for the next few days. It was definitely one of the most memorable nights in my high school career.

Question: Who were some of your biggest influences at Chandler Prep as a soccer player and scholar athlete?

Gracie Cornelius (#6): Every year, I felt like I learned something new and developed new skills. Both Coach and Liv were huge aspects of that, and thank you for supporting not only me, but this team. I also want to thank my parents and family for always supporting me throughout my soccer journey, and I want to thank Hathaway for being a great teammate and teaching me the skills of being a center back in my sophomore year. And I want to thank the team in general. Everyone shares a passion for soccer and all help each other improve.

Sydney Bruns (#9): I want to thank my parents and grandparents for going to every game even if I was hurt and couldn’t play, my brother for playing with me if I wanted to learn a skill, and the coaches for pushing us to do our best. I also want to thank all of the past seniors for holding leadership roles and the team now for making me want to do my best.

Question: What advice do you leave with next year’s returning players?

Isabel Garcia (#5): Well, to start off, don’t get a concussion your senior year. No, but really, the most important thing is to always be there for your teammates and to remember that your teammates will always be there for you.

McKenna Possehl (#10): An important piece of advice that I’ll begin with is this: time goes by, fast and no one can stop it. Find happiness in every practice, every game, and every moment, whether it be big or small, or whether it be your own personal success or your teammates’. You deserve to celebrate your own successes. You are your one true supporter at the end of the day. But, on the other hand, we are a team. Pick each other up when another falls down. Time really does fly by, it’s all up to you how you will look back on your high school career. Looking forward, you’ll be up here at some point in the future on your own senior night. If you were to listen to one thing and completely ignore everything else, it should be this: find your own motivation and happiness throughout each and every moment, even in the darker times when you feel like giving up. At the end of the day, you are your number one supporter. Learn to pick yourself up after you fail, and find your own personal motivation to keep on going and to not give up on yourself.

Question: What are your plans for next year – post CPA?

AL: As for college, I will be attending Barrett and planning on majoring in biochemistry.

LB: I am not sure yet where I will be going to college when I graduate from Chandler Prep, but I plan on majoring in Nursing.

GC: I’m still unsure of which college, but I want to study nursing.

SB: I am not sure where I will end up for college but I am planning on majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in the Classics or French.

IG: I do not know where I will be going to college, but I will be studying materials science and engineering with a focus in clean energy.

MP: I am committed to attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, and I will be majoring in aerospace engineering. And, if my schedule allows it, I will play intramural soccer at Embry-Riddle. I will truly miss these past four years at Chandler Prep.