Columbus North goalkeeper Paige Terry protects the near post as a shot sails past the goal during a soccer match between Columbus North and Greenfield-Central at the BCSC Soccer Complex in Columbus, Ind., Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Paige Terry found out a couple weeks ago that her role was going to change.
Terry, who has played a forward for the majority of her soccer career, transitioned to the starting goalkeeper for the Columbus North girls soccer team. It’s quite a change for Terry in her new role, but she has adjusted well, especially with the change coming midseason.
Playing as a goalkeeper overall isn’t new for Terry. She spent a small amount of time in goal when she played on the JV team as a freshman and sophomore. Now a junior, this is Terry’s first time playing goalkeeper at the varsity level.
For any soccer team, the goalkeeper is considered the hardest, but yet, the most important position on the field. Terry said the adjustment wasn’t the easiest because she likes to run and be in the action all the time playing a forward.
“Being a goalkeeper, I can see the entire field and the way players are playing. I can communicate and tell the forwards where to go or what to do,” Terry said. “As a forward, I was being told that then rather telling people what to do. It’s a little bit different than I’m used to but I’m adjusting.”
Columbus North goalkeeper Paige Terry stands in the box during a soccer match between Columbus North and Greenfield-Central at the BCSC Soccer Complex in Columbus, Ind., Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Terry is a multi-sport athlete for North. She also plays basketball for the Bull Dogs. She’s played both sports since she was around 4 years old. Being a basketball player helps with the hand-eye coordination and having the ability to get hands on the soccer ball to make the catch.
“I’m used to catching a ball, whether it be a soccer ball or a basketball,” Terry said. “I’m quick with catching and moving my hands towards where the ball goes.”
Columbus North’s Paige Terry, left, tries to keep the ball away from Columbus East’s Cadence Zeser, right, at the BCSC Soccer Complex, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023.
The Republic file photo
Coach David Young was one of the firsts that saw Terry’s full potential when she was in Columbus Express as an eighth-grader.
Having the full confidence of Terry to compete, Young proposed the idea to Terry playing in goal, and she was willing to take on the challenge. Young said Terry composes under pressure and can handle the stress well.
“She understood why I had asked her. She understood the need for the team. She said that she would give it a shot, and I told her that you’re going to make mistakes,” Young said. “For me as a head coach, I needed to make a change. I didn’t know what the change would look like initially. I didn’t know if it was going to be successful, but sometimes you have to make the change and hope it works, and in this case, it did.”
Columbus North goalkeeper Paige Terry, in pink, organizes the wall to protect the goal before a free kick during a soccer match between Columbus North and Greenfield-Central at the BCSC Soccer Complex in Columbus, Ind., Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
The switch to Terry in goal was made prior to the Aug. 31 contest against Roncalli. Even though it was a close 3-2 loss to Roncalli, the Bull Dogs have warmed up once the calendar hit September. They are now 3-0-1 following Wednesday’s tie at Lawrence North.
“You can tell the team is playing better. I feel like the confidence has gone up. You can tell the team’s morale has gone up,” Terry said. “We’re getting better as a team, as well. It’s going to move us forward a lot and have us grow as a team.”
