Kaelyn Wolfe of Villa Maria is the Girls Soccer Player of the Year. (PETE BANNAN-DAILY LOCAL NEWS)
Every high school athlete wants to produce something special for his/her senior season. Villa Maria’s Kaelyn Wolfe did exactly that by reaching heights that no one else has done in the program’s history.
For her exemplary season, Wolfe has been named the Daily Local News Girls Soccer All-Area Player of the Year.
“It feels amazing,” said Wolfe. “This season was so much fun. We have a lot of chemistry and we had some good wins. It still hasn’t struck me completely yet. It still seems surreal.”
Wolfe served notice in 2021 that was a superlative player. She recorded 21 goals in 18 games and was an All-Area selection as well as an All-AACA pick and the league MVP runner-up and was the first Hurricane to record 20 or more goals and assists in the same season.
This season, despite getting the lion’s share of a defense’s attention, Wolfe did not slow down in the scoring department. She dented the net 22 times in 17 games and chipped in nine assists. She was held goalless in just three of Villa’s 17 games.
She finished her career as a four-year starter with 59 goals and 35 helpers. She became the first player in program history to be named the league’s MVP. Her list of firsts also included an All-State honor and she became the first VMA soccer player to be awarded Player of the Year.
“Kaelyn is the best we’ve had at Villa Maria,” said Hurricane coach Gary Christopher. “We’ve had some good ones over the yers, but she is the best. Her hunger and work ethic is of the highest quality. She is consummate team player.”
Kaelyn Wolfe of Villa Maria is the Girls Soccer Player of the Year. (PETE BANNAN-DAILY LOCAL NEWS)
Wolfe proved she was more than a goal scorer. She can pick out a teammate and deliver an accurate, incisive ball that can create a dangerous scoring chance.
“Her vision on field is superb,” added Christopher. “Her skill level and soccer IQ is top level. She can control the ball with either foot.”
Wolfe walked in, like most freshmen, a little timid, but grew each season.
“As a freshman, I didn’t have a lot of confidence. I was smaller and getting my feet wet,” said Wolfe. “I was getting used to the high school soccer and the speed of play, but I got used to it pretty quick. I got stronger and faster and started playing with a lot more confidence.”
The confidence manifested itself on the field as Wolfe had her breakout junior season and continued it right on to her senior year.
“I improved the most in my passing and and being able to take on defenders,” she added.
One rival coach wholeheartedly endorsed Wolfe as being the top player in the area.
“She is an easy choice,” said Bishop Shanahan coach Ken Schmidt. “She is a seriously good player. She is the only player we faced all season that we moved people out of position to keep an eye on her. She is also a real nice kid, really humble.”
“She is a two-time captain. She was chosen as a junior by her teammates,” said Christopher. “She grew as a leader. She is not a rah-rah person, but she grew as a vocal leader. If she had something to say, people listened, but she did it in a positive way.”
Wolfe credits the school for helping her to become the leader that she is.
“The school teaches you to balance academics and athletics and to channel your work ethic into both things,” she said. “It also teaches you about showing up and doing your best.”
For Christopher, a memorable moment came on a Wolfe goal this season against Downingtown West in terrible conditions.
“It was in a driving rain storm, she received the ball at midfield, beat her defender and saw the goalie off her line about 35-40 yards out,” he said. “On the dead run, she lofted it over her head and into the net. It was one of the best goals I’ve ever seen, but she just jogged back and acted like it wasn’t a big deal.”
Wolfe started playing soccer when she was four. Although she said her father played in college, she came to the sport naturally.
“I just started playing in kids league and I was having fun and it just took off from there,” said Wolfe.
She also stated the things she will miss about being on the team.
“I will miss the team in general,” Wolfe said. “I will miss the team dinners and the team bonding exercises.”
Wolfe will go on to play at Penn State, which was nationally ranked this past season, winning the Big Ten Tournament. Christopher, for one, expects her time at Happy Valley to be a very productive one.
“I think she has a big future ahead of her at Penn State,” he said. “They are getting a very good player and a great person.”
