Fenwick senior Sydney Jensen has progressed by leaps and bounds since her freshman season, when she was called up to the varsity soccer team for the playoff run.
The Clarendon Hills resident then started as a sophomore on a Friars squad that lost to eventual 2A state champion Chatham Glenwood 2-1 in the semifinals before finishing third.
As a junior, Jensen was named a captain. She’s proud of her leadership role because it’s something that would have been difficult to predict when she started high school.
Once reserved and shy, Jensen said soccer helped her find her nerve.
“I’m not really the most outgoing or loud person,” she said. “I’m pretty quiet, so it’s been very interesting to be a captain and be one of the most vocal people on and off the field. But I’ve loved every minute of it.
“That’s been the greatest thing about this whole high school experience. It’s helped me come out of my shell and it’s given me confidence. If you asked my parents, they would tell you I’m a very different person from when I was a freshman and would never speak.”
Even more than becoming a better team leader, Jensen feels like she’s playing better and is willing to tackle new challenges. For example, she switched club teams last summer, leaving United Soccer Academy for Windy City Pride.
A big focus of her new team was footwork and having strong one-on-one skills with the ball. In the past, Jensen had been a defensive-minded sweeper; when she took control of a ball, she quickly passed it.
“You have to learn [Windy City Pride’s] style and compose the ball,” Jensen said. “So that gives me a little more confidence in myself because I know that I can hold onto the ball for an extra second or be able to play with it instead of freaking out and passing it to an oncoming opponent.”
Fenwick coach Rob Watson said Jensen provides everything as a leader and a player.
“She’s a two-time captain and was a unanimous pick both times,” Watson said. “She’s an anchor now and is as good in recovery and cleaning up as I’ve seen. She’s a true sweeper.”
Fenwick (6-5-1) has suffered its share of tough losses, including two in penalty kicks and another in double overtime. Senior defender Rylee Brennan thinks Jensen is a major reason why the Friars were even able to be in position to win those close games.
“Sydney is our last man on the field,” Brennan said. “She picks up every last ball and she works hard — 100 percent — every minute of every game. She’s willing to put her whole body into it and she makes a lot of good saves before they [opponents] get to the keeper.”
Despite a good defensive effort in the first half, the Friars fell to Nazareth 2-0 in LaGrange Park on Wednesday, April 29. The loss dropped Fenwick to 2-2-1 in the East Suburban Catholic, but Jensen is staying hopeful.
One reason for optimism is that the Friars’ varsity includes freshmen Lauren Miller, Kaylie Fredian and Lauren Stibich.
“I was excited to see what they could bring to the table, and in the first tryout the three of them showed up and we were blown out of the water,” Jensen said. “They completely changed our team this year. I hope I did a good job showing them the ropes so they can continue to have success next year.”
Valentin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
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