Seymour senior leads from the back of the field

August 21, 2018

Evan Baurle said there is no place he would rather be during the fall after school than on the soccer field at Seymour High School.

“I love the action and how there is always movement,” Baurle said. “There is always something you can do, and there is not just sitting around.”

Baurle began playing soccer in the Seymour youth leagues at Freeman Field.

He enjoys the home matches and playing on the turf. This is the third season for the Owls on turf.

He said he also enjoyed having the sectional at home last season.

“Our home matches are really exciting,” Baurle said. “I’m glad we don’t have to travel out to Freeman Field now. I think it’s at a better location. It’s easier to access. The crowds are bigger, too.

“Turf is much quicker. I think the ball moves a lot faster. There is not as much resistance as on grass. Long grass makes the ball go slower, and that’s a big change between turf and long grass.”

In his freshman and sophomore years, Baurle played center back. Last year, he played both right and left back.

This year, it’s another new position for Baurle.

“This year, I think I’ll be playing midfield, a defensive mid, so I’m still playing defense, but I’ll be more in the middle of the field,” Baurle said.

He said his responsibility is to distribute the ball wide and make things happen so the team can get a goal.

Baurle is one of 11 seniors, and he said he wants to show senior leadership during practice and matches.

“I’m going to do the best I can to show (younger players) the right way to play, how to play clean, smart,” Baurle said.

He said the Owls have to be at the top of their game every time they take the field.

“We have a really tough schedule,” Baurle said. “I think we have one of the hardest schedules out there. Practice is very important. Practice can determine the outcome of a match. Practice for a game day, if it’s a good practice, then you’ll have a better match the next day. If it’s a bad practice, that might affect the way you play the game.

“Communication is huge in soccer. You always have to be talking to each other and know what you’re doing. If you don’t talk, then there is no way to know what is going to happen. You always have to be alert.”

Baurle helped the Owls win the Hoosier Hills Conference his sophomore year, and he is hoping to add more trophies this fall.

“We’re hoping to win sectional, which we haven’t done for a long time, and win conference,” Baurle said. “We want to keep our wins up. The past two years, we’ve had a really good record, so if we can keep that up this year, that would be great.”

Baurle has enjoyed attending SHS.

“I like the small-town feeling of Seymour,” Baurle said. “It’s not too big of a school. It’s nice and easy to get around. All the teachers are pretty nice.

“I’ll probably remember the soccer most and just hanging out with my friends, having classes with them and other activities with my friends at school.”

Baurle file

Name: Evan Baurle

School: Seymour High School

Parents: Deryk and Jill Baurle

Siblings: Megan and Madelyn

Sport: Soccer, four years

Athletic highlights: Winning conference in 2016, winning the O Cup two years in a row

No posts to display