A perfect pass from one of her teammates, and the ball was in her possession. With her eyes focused on the goal and her heart racing, Sarah Baicher (12) took a deep breath and propelled the ball past the netkeeper, scoring the winning goal of the league championship. 

Ever since she could walk, soccer has been a big part of Sarah’s life. The atmosphere on the field and the family she created through soccer has kept her going, drawing her deeper into the sport.  

“Being part of a team has always been my favorite part … we’ve basically grown up together, and it’s pretty awesome. We also schedule a million team bonding days to hang out or go somewhere, because it’s important that you’re able to get along off the field,” Sarah said.

Reminiscing, she talked about the many memories she made through soccer. From her pregame handshake with her friend Emma Boyce (12) that motivates her to being connected with the team, soccer never fails to make her happy. 

“The moment right after someone scores in the game, and we all come together, and everyone’s huddling and hugging—it’s a feeling of pure serotonin, us coming together as a team and celebrating,” Sarah said.

Watching her dad make a career out of soccer has always inspired Sarah to continue soccer and work hard. She has always believed in working hard to achieve one’s goals.

“Push yourself, and be able to push your teammates, because if you’re not a good team member, no matter how good you are on your own, no one’s going to want you … I’ve seen some people who are super, super talented. But I’ve also seen other people who put two times the work in, and they go farther and get more playing time,” Sarah said. 

Sarah’s leadership skills are a key part of her character and have always been one of her strengths. Her many years of playing soccer with a team and her outgoing nature have refined this aspect of her. Iman Siadat, the coach of her soccer team, expands on Sarah’s role in the team. 

“She’s definitely a team leader. On the field, she’s an important player and controls the tempo of a match. You have to be a charismatic personality on the field as well as a good soccer player when you play, and she fits that build,” Siadat said. 

As captain of the girls varsity soccer team, she has participated in many activities such as organizing a successful fundraising event called Kicks Against Cancer. Sarah and her co-captain raised money to send kids with cancer to Camp Okizu and provide them with a community while they were dealing with tough times. They organized a soccer game, conducted a raffle and sold goods such as clothes, blankets and keychains. Sarah has always been a motivated and passionate leader who drives the team to success. 

“We have so many different personalities in the team. You have people who’ve been playing club for their whole life while some have never played soccer before. Creating a training environment where everyone’s getting something out of it, everyone’s learning, even at their different stages, was something that we’ve tried really hard to do,” Sarah said. 

On the other hand, as an athlete, Sarah has dealt with many challenges that have made her a stronger player and person overall. 

“High school season is a little different from clubs because no matter what age you are, you’re playing against girls that could be one, two, three, even four years older than you. So it’s a little difficult sometimes when you’re smaller,” Sarah said. 

Her dedication to her sport and the effort she puts in helps her reach amazing accomplishments while allowing her to develop many skills that are useful both on and off the field. Her sister, Emily Baicher, esteems her hardworking nature and good work ethic. 

“When she puts her mind to something, she has a lot of determination. She works really hard on it, which is something that I really admire,” Emily said.  

Both on and off the field, Sarah’s personality and attitude make her a lovable person. Skills like teamwork and dedication, which she has strengthened through soccer, helps make Sarah not only an amazing player but also an outgoing, easy-to-talk-to and attentive friend. Close friend Zoe Kister (12) emphasizes how she is always there for others.

“She’s very selfless in the way that she’ll put her friends first and be there for you if you need to call anytime,” Zoe said. “She’ll always support the people she loves.”

Even when Sarah was conflicted between soccer and other activities, her passion for the sport has brought her some amazing experiences. In her freshman year, her team had the opportunity to go to Spain during the school year to play soccer. Making the difficult decision to miss school during her first year at Harker is a moment that defines Sarah well.

“Adjusting was difficult for me to the super academic environment … so I almost didn’t go [on the trip]—I was marked as not going because I have to stay, and I have to do my school work. But eventually, I talked to my teammates, and I was like, ‘Okay, school is important, but I’m not going to miss out on this experience,’” Sarah said.

Additionally, her passion for soccer and strong sense of dedication overall influences many aspects of her life. Training and spending time with her team is always something she looks forward to. After high school, Sarah plans on pursuing soccer and continues to turn to it as her favorite method of expression. 

“If I’ve had a rough day or something really stressful has been going on, [I] go to the field and put my head down and really put everything into practice. And I feel like it’s that way for most of my teammates too, like getting in the zone,” Sarah said.