When you coach the East Robertson girls soccer team, just having enough players to do an inter-squad scrimmage can be a challenge from year to year.
Ashlyn Hebert has scored 54 goals in just 16 games this season for East Robertson.
So for Coach Todd Evilcizer, coaching and recruiting often go hand in hand. In fact, he recruits players every season, and it’s a job he’s become fairly good at because, he says, he can often see things in players that other’s can’t.
A little over two years ago, Evilcizer saw something in senior Ashlyn Hebert after she decided to give up cheerleading and give soccer a try.
Two years later Hebert isn’t just leading the team in goals, she’s one of the top goal scorers in the south east according to MaxPreps.com.
“I think one of the girls that was on the team had talked to her, but we had already had tryouts,” Evilcizer said. “We just set up some cones and let her do some drills, and what she was able to do with no training whatsoever showed me that she was someone that we wanted on our team.
“What was evident from the start was her speed and athletic ability, and that’s two things that you can’t coach. They either have it or they don’t. She had both, and she was also eager to learn, and get better and that hasn’t changed, even to this day.”
Hebert had similar memories of her first tryout for the Lady Indians squad.
“Mary Massie is one of my good friends, so when she told me they were short of players and asked me to try out, I decided to do it if they would let me,” Hebert said. “I think he liked that I was fast, and since I had been a cheerleader, I was already athletic and in pretty good shape, so I just had to learn how to handle the ball.
“They worked with me a lot that first year, but I also worked when I wasn’t playing because I wanted to get better as fast as I could.”
Fast forward two years, and Hebert, now in her final season, is seeing all her hard work pay off.
In 16 games this season, Hebert has scored 54 goals for an average of 3.375 goals per game, and according to MaxPreps.com, Hebert is now in the top five in scoring in the southeast.
“I couldn’t believe when they announced that over the intercom at school,” Hebert said. “I’ve never really been someone that worries about my own stats, but it was nice to be recognized.”
The MaxPreps.com website isn’t the only one paying attention to Hebert’s success this year.
Colleges have also shown an interest.
“I guess the biggest college that has contacted us has been South Carolina,” Hebert said. “I’ve also had other schools call or send me something, but I’ve told everyone that I’m not going to do anything until after this season is over.
“I want to just enjoy my senior season, help my team get as far as we can and then I’ll think about all that.”
Hebert and the Lady Indians have one of their toughest tests of the season coming up this week as they take on Lipscomb Academy. A win would mean a possible tie for first place and a loss would land the team in fourth place, Evilcizer said.
“One thing I can say about Ashlyn is that she’s almost obsessed when game day gets here,” Evilcizer said. “She gets so fixated on the game that I’m surprised she gets any work done that day.
“It’s good for me that she’s that focused, and I guess she does what she’s supposed to because she makes good grades.”
Hebert agreed.
“I’m really looking forward to that game against Lipscomb,” she said. “When it’s game day, that’s all I can think about. I know how important that game is, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure we win that game.”