Speed has become a major focus for Durant senior Jaci Floyd as she enters another season on the soccer field. “To get faster,” Floyd said when describing her personal goal, keeping her approach simple and direct as she looks to improve her game during her final year.
That individual mindset fits well within a team that has found its rhythm together. “The team moral has been really good this year,” Floyd said. “We are working great together.” That unity has shown up in tangible ways throughout the season. “We have definitely improved on working together as a team this year and realizing it takes a whole team to play this sport and everyone is going to mess up everyone in a while,” she added.
The goals for the season go beyond wins and losses. “I think a big goal for our team this year is making it to the playoffs but also just learning to communicate more on and off the field and working together effectively while having fun,” Floyd said. Communication and chemistry have become defining traits for this group. “One of our biggest strengths right now is definitely passing the ball around the field,” she said. “Also, many of us on the team have been playing together for a very long time so we have good chemistry.”
Floyd anchors the defense for Durant. “I play center defense,” she said. From that position, she prides herself on reading the field and helping her offense succeed. “When looking at the other teams defense, I look for the defender who seems the most timid,” Floyd explained, “the one that would make it easier for my offense to get through.”
Preparation is both physical and mental for Floyd, especially in challenging matchups. “For games that I know are going to be difficult I make sure that I am stretched out well and that I have a good attitude towards my team,” she said.
Looking toward graduation, Floyd hopes her impact will be remembered in meaningful ways. “I want to be remembered as someone that anyone could ask for help from and that was trusted,” she said. Fans may not always see what goes on behind the scenes, but Floyd made it clear: “We work really hard every day during practice, and it is not easy.”
After high school, the senior plans to continue her education and “go to college and become a large animal veterinarian,” carrying the same work ethic beyond the soccer field.
