By the time most students reach their senior year, they are set in their extracurricular activities. However for Sarah Bower, her last year of school meant her first year trying out for something new. Looking for an athletic challenge, she saw one in soccer.

“I had been looking for heavy workouts, extreme workouts, so I could become healthier for college,” Bower said. “I needed a forceful coach and Coach [Misty] Benson seemed like that type and it’s a sport that I would be able to pick up.”

Bower was a Leopard cheerleader for two and a half years before she left the semester of her junior year for a school in Houston. However, she returned this past summer in time for the start of senior year.

“I moved last semester so at my old school I wasn’t there long enough to try out for their cheerleading team and then when I moved back I wasn’t allowed to try out for the try-outs,” Bower said. “So I wasn’t allowed.”

Deciding to join the team at the start of tryouts was a little late in comparison to the girls who took part in off-season workouts, but Bower was determined.

“Honestly, my schedule has been the same for the past four years and I wanted to try something different so that I wouldn’t regret not being able to try anything new for my senior year and I think soccer did that for me,” Bower said.

However, before she could suit up, she had to sit down with Benson who is in her first year with the program.

“Well she actually joined in the middle of tryouts so it was perfect,” Benson said.

Bower had her mind set on joining the team and took the appropriate steps to make it happen.

“Sarah was really good in her communication and came to me ahead of time,” Benson said. “She told me her goals, what she was looking for, and what she wanted to get out of the opportunity if it was available to her so that made things a lot easier. She is very well spoken, very sweet, and very hardworking.”

On the seventh day of suiting up, Bower experienced a setback.

“My cleat didn’t stick in the indoor so it rolled,” Bower said. “That day I broke my mile time right before that, I shot a really great shot and I was super proud of myself, and then everything went downhill.”

This injury doesn’t change Bower’s mind about being part of the soccer team.

“Right now I’m out for three weeks which really shouldn’t affect much because we are going on break,” Bower said. “I find out on January 3rd if I have to have surgery or not. If not then I will train back and hopefully get to play through the season.”

Regardless of her current situation, Bower will continue to be a part of the team and she has Benson on board with her joining the program for her senior year.

“For Sarah, I see her adding to both teams in a very positive upbeat way,” Benson said. “For herself, growing and maturing before she heads off to college and getting some good foundations for such a big transition for something that’s right around the corner.”