For Oswego East’s Taylor English, coming home never felt so good.
Her return was symbolic and personal following a two-year soccer sabbatical with the Sockers FC Chicago Development Academy, which meant growing her game elsewhere.
“It was always my intention to come back for my senior year,” she said.
The timing couldn’t have been better, either.
The Kent State recruit has joined an emerging juggernaut in the Wolves, who completed their first perfect regular season in program history last spring by winning a Class 3A regional and finishing 14-1.
English was gone but not disconnected.
“Last year, I wasn’t there, but I watched games,” English said. “We have almost the same team with the addition of a few players. They’re all amazing players.
“Everybody really supports each other.”
As a quick, creative and dynamic talent playing central midfielder, English has made a talented team even more dangerous, resourceful and difficult to slow down, according to sophomore midfielder Morgan Dick.
“Taylor is an amazing player,” Dick said. “She is always willing to put herself on the line for our team in any circumstances. She is very skilled when attacking and also defending.
“Taylor is a very elite player.”
English has six goals and four assists for Oswego East (10-1, 6-0), which is riding a 10-game winning streak since a narrow loss against undefeated Naperville Central.
Sophomore midfielder Anya Gulbrandsen has been impressed.
“Taylor is the exact kind of player you hope to have on your team,” Gulbrandsen said. “She’s one of the most crucial pieces with her great feet, field awareness, hustle and ability to combine and move with the other center midfielders.”
Playing at the elite club level gave English the opportunity to develop different qualities of her game. That positional flexibility has opened things up.
(Jon Cunningham for The Beacon-News)
The central midfielder is the most malleable of field positions. English has the latitude to play back as a defensive disrupter or push forward offensively.
“When I played club, I also played outside back or left defender,” English said. “I think in the midfield, you’re attacking, you’re defending, you’re doing a little bit of everything. You’re constantly aware.
“In the midfield, your transition has to be very quick. Having the opportunity in the past to play defense has definitely helped me in the midfield and about always knowing where the other positions are.”
The versatility of English has been evident. Oswego East has posted a staggering 50-5 scoring differential with six shutouts.
Speed, quickness and technical capability are the perfect counter to her 5-foot-2 frame.
“Any move I can do to try and get around the opponent is probably my go-to move,” she said.
With savvy, poise and ability to anticipate the game, English often renders pure size meaningless. Sophomore midfielder Riley Gumm has taken notice.
“This is my first time playing with Taylor, but I had always heard she was a great player,” Gumm said. “She is extremely skilled on the ball and her vision of the field is amazing.
“Her work rate is always 100%. It inspires everyone around her to give the same.”
The passion, vision and touch of English also opens up the propulsive attack of senior forwards Mikayla Lambert and Erika Smiley, an Iowa recruit.
“I think in the last year I’ve been working more on technicalities, making sure I find the passes so we can speed our forwards and get them the ball they want as they are making their creative runs,” English said.
Most importantly, English is experiencing pure joy and fun again.
“Soccer is a constant challenge and a constant test of your abilities,” she said. “I have always loved the challenge of the game.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.