A Decade of Plottdom

Hadrian just tried out for high school soccer yesterday, and she made the team . . . yay!! The legacy lives on for one more year. This is the tenth year in a row that a Plott has been on the varsity roster at Grayson High School. A decade of Plottdom . . . . or Plott dominance . . . lol. And, just a little history about Grayson . . . 2000-2001 was the first year the school was in operation. So, this is the eleventh season Grayson has been in existence. And, there has been a Plott on the varsity team for every season except the first.

Haley played 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005.
Hannah played 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007.
Hadrian played 2008, 2009, 2010, and now 2011.

We have played for every coach that has coached at Grayson . . . Stacy Kenyon, Christopher Wilson, and Terry Klinect.

Wow . . . the memories!!

Haley caught the program when it was new. The first couple of years, we played a non-region schedule, and I remember sometimes driving two hours to a game, playing soccer for thirty minutes before it was called for the mercy rule, and then driving two hours back home. Even though Grayson was a new program, it was good from the start. There has been an enormous amount of talent come through Grayson High School.

The year that Haley was a junior and Hannah was a freshman (2004) the team scored 129 goals. And, my friends, that is alot of goals for one soccer season.

Hannah played in the "glory year" that Grayson won its first and only state championship for 5A. Hannah's senior year, 2007, was the most decorated in school history. The 2007 team won 18 games, lost only 2, had a 15-game win streak, and of course won a state championship. Hannah has THE ring. And, I will never forget when her coach stood at the All-County Soccer Banquet and proclaimed that Hannah deserved the honor of being the Gwinnett County Player of the Year. Wow . . . she didn't win the honor, but what an honor it was to be considered!!

Grayson Wins State . . . oh, what an amazing night!!

Hannah and the State Championship Trophy

Hug from the Coach

And, let me say, that Hadrian wants a ring. She feels that last year was the year it got away . . . and she was helpless . . . struggling through games while crying from the pain of her Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome.

Grayson was SO close last year. The team feels strongly that they were one PK away from a state championship. IF Grayson could have gotten past North Gwinnett . . . . Grayson and North Gwinnett met up in the quarter finals, and both teams felt strongly that whoever won this match would ultimately be playing for the state championship. What a battle . . . tied after regulation, tied after two overtime periods, went through a complete round of pk's, and started over with the shooters in the second round of pk's. Nobody had ever witnessed this happening!! But, North Gwinnett won the match . . . Grayson missed on the 11th pk. And, yes, North Gwinnett won the state championship. And, congratulations to them . . . we have alot of great friends on this North team!!

Hadrian wearing her Game Day shirt on her way to the Grayson/North Gwinnett match.

And, Hadrian was SO frustrated because she had to watch this match from the sideline in her wheelchair. She feels strongly that if she could have played in this match - and marked the amazing Danielle Au - that things could have turned out differently. And, I believe her. I felt badly for her. She had just had her surgery for compartment syndrome days before this match, and I know how painful it was for her to sit this one out. The text messages were coming at me from across the field . . . I was getting a play-by-play of her frustrations . . . and how badly she wanted to be out on that field. And, I will never forget that when the teams met out on the field for PK's, Hadrian was there . . . sitting on the field in her wheelchair.

Just the game before, Grayson stunned Harrison in the first playoff game. The Gwinnett Daily Headline was "Rams Stun No. 4 Harrison." It was an amazing win. And, it was amazing because Hadrian got to participate. Coach Klinect allowed Hadrian to enter the field during both halves of this great game . . . and she was allowed to play for as long as her body would let her. She made it about ten minutes of each half. It gave me goose bumps to hear the Grayson fans cheer for her as she entered the match . . . speaking of those great memories!!! : ) She had surgery between the Harrison and the North Gwinnett games.

So many of you followed Hadrian's progress and gave us SO much support!!

http://hadrianscompartmentsyndrome.blogspot.com/

All three of my girls have played for some amazing club and high school coaches, been trained by the best trainers, played with and against the best players in the state, have made the most amazing friendships that anyone could ever ask for, and it is all coming to a close. This is the last year that a Plott will be on the varsity soccer roster. I hope my baby daughter, Hadrian, has an amazing senior season at Grayson High School!!!

And, just an update on my soccer girls:

Haley played at Middle Georgia College after leaving Grayson. After two seasons, she blew out her knee. Her college playing days were over, but she continues to play in various adult leagues (and the knee still swells . . lol). Haley has been a soccer trainer and coach at Central Georgia Soccer Association for the past several years. Haley is now coaching soccer at Veteran's High School in Warner Robins . . . a brand new high school fielding its first soccer team ever. She just returned from a grueling week in Ft. Lauderdale where she was pursuing a National Coaching License . . . results pending.

Haley and her team received medals at the Sugar N Spice Tournament in Nov 2010.

Hannah played at Jacksonville State University after leaving Grayson. After one season, she retired from playing college, but she continues to play in several different adult leagues. She still kicks butt . . . lol. Hannah is a licensed coach and coaches at the Blue Springs Soccer Association in Loganville.

Hannah's team won a BIG (lol) trophy at the Frosty Balls Tournament . . Jan 2011

Hannah has really enjoyed taking her soccer to the mission fields . . . Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Hadrian . . . well . . . is considering several different colleges . . . a major announcement will come as soon as her decision is made!! We are just thrilled that her legs are well enough for playing in college to become a reality!!

PLOTTDOM!! ; )