With their college careers about to kick off, senior soccer players Bree Ehmer and Abigail Watson reminisce about their final season and look ahead to what the future holds.

“It doesn’t feel real,” Watson said. “It’s crazy that my high-school career is almost over.”

Ehmer, who committed to Catawba college in North Carolina, said leaving Florida and her family will be the first thing she will have to get acclimated to.

“The first couple of weeks will be rough,” she said. “I’ve been to soccer camps where I’m away from my parents for short amounts of time, but this is much different.”

Watson, who committed to Washington and Lee University in Virginia, said she will have to learn to do tasks she previously relied on her parents to help her with.

“My mom needs to teach me how to do my laundry,” she said. “At the same time I’m also going to be starting training for the preseason.”

Ehmer agrees and said she needs to pack before she leaves.

“I haven’t bought anything for my dorm room, but I think my parents will help me with that,” she said. “I need to do that and get mentally prepared before I go.”

Both girls have been preparing for the college soccer season ahead.

“I’ve been doing fitness packets in the offseason that my coach gave me,” Ehmer said. “I’m going to get there and have two days to settle before preseason practices start.

Watson said she will have to prepare for the task of managing more schoolwork, and her role on her team, something she said she practiced during high school.

“I’ve been running to stay in shape because of how athletic you have to keep yourself to play at the collegiate level,” she said. “Once I get into a routine of doing classwork and practicing, I won’t think much of it.”

Both girls hope their teammates will treat them as they treated the younger players on the varsity team.

“When we began playing with the girls who moved up this year, we made sure to encourage them and make sure they’re comfortable,” Watson said. “I got to meet and play with the [college] team a few times, so I think they will do well with settling me in.”

Ehmer agrees.

“I know the team has been successful the past few years, and I hope to help them continue in that success,” she said. “To make any teammate comfortable with their skills, you have to show that you’re confident in your own play style by being vocal and knowing where and when to move on and off the ball.”

Watson and Ehmer both said they will remember the times and memories they built with the Lady Wildcats, but are excited to see what’s to come.

“I remember this season when we played two big schools and won and that was a memory I cherish,” Watson said. “The energy and crowd really pushed us to want to win more.”

“I loved when we won districts in my freshman and sophomore years,” Ehmer said. “That was on of the reasons I got recognized, and it was great being able to leave my mark on the school.”

By Christian Thein