Seymour athlete excels at soccer

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Bailey Lewis said she wouldn’t change a thing when it comes to playing soccer and being a student at Seymour High School.

“The thing I’ll remember most is every person I’ve met here, and even if they’ve already went to college I still remember them and I’ll also remember how the team worked together and maybe how that will function into my life even if I’m not playing soccer,” she said.

“A couple things I would say about soccer is I’ve made plenty of friends. I have realized some goals I need to set for the future, and some of the stuff I learn on the field like confidence stuff, that will help. On a normal day you have confidence in yourself during a class or something answering questions. I also feel like the last thing would be focus. You have focus on the field and it transitions to your homework and classes.”

At the high school level, Lewis plays as a forward.

“I try to make sure everyone makes their right runs, and are making the right passes to people that have shots, and to make shots myself,” she said.

Last fall, Lewis had three goals and five assists.

“I get a lot of shot attempts because there will be the last line of defenders and I’ll be the one that is right up there with them,” Lewis said. “I play center but I can play outside, too.

“When we’re in that group we pick where we’re going, and we go straight to that spot. We’re moving so we try to get the defense off-balance.” She said the team works on that play all the time in practice.

The senior started playing on the Seymour Youth Soccer leagues at Freeman Field at 5-years-old.

“I started in rec leagues and then I played travel ball and rec together,” Lewis said. “I started playing with the Seymour Cyclones (travel team) when I was 8.”

She played with the Cyclones until she came into high school. This past spring she played with a travel team from New Albany.

“With the different type of teams I’ve had several different coaches over the years, and I feel like each coach keeps giving me great advice, and I keep using it every single year and it keeps making me better and helping me realize what I need to do,” Lewis said.

Lewis enjoys the home matches on the turf.

“I like the home matches a lot better because a lot more of my friends and family can come out now and they don’t have to travel,” Lewis said. “I like our turf field and the other turf field I really like is Columbus because I just like the feeling of the turf.”

On and off the field, Lewis said she tries to fill a leadership role.

“I like to think that I help out,” Lewis said. “I like to make sure everyone is understanding of the drills. If they need help, even off the field I will help with that, too, like homework or if they need someone to talk to. I like … to be kind of a leader besides just in soccer.”

In games, Lewis feels that communication can make or break a team.

“Communication is a big part of the game,” Lewis said. “If we didn’t talk on the field we wouldn’t know where each other is, where to pass, or who is open.

“If you don’t learn and go game speed in practice then you most likely will not do that during the game. Practice is where you make mistakes so that you can in a game you don’t make the same mistakes.”

Lewis said the mental part of sports is important.

“If you don’t feel confident then most likely you will not feel confident on the field,” Lewis said. “You’ve got to be confident not just in yourself but also your teammates. You can’t put them to make you feel better, you have to make sure you keep each other up.”

Lewis said she will miss attending Seymour High School.

“My favorite part about Seymour High School is most of the people in there are nice and kind, and they’ll help you out if you need to,” Lewis said. “I love going to the cheer block and having some fun with the people there, or show up at a random meet, anywhere or any sport, and you can meet someone and you’ll end up making a friend, or you’ll have a friend there to talk to.”

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School: Seymour High School

Parents: Michele and Tom Lewis

Siblings: Mariah, Grace

Sports: soccer 4 years

Organizations: choir, student government, helps at Gymnastics Lane

Plans after high school: attend college, study nursing

Favorite food: ice cream

Favorite musician: Future

Favorite movie: Unbroken

Favorite teams: Chicago Cubs, Indiana Hoosiers

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