Naperville North's Leonard got
defensive before Huskies won title
By Matt Le Cren
Jordan Leonard proved to be a quick study.
That’s one reason why Naperville North passed the ultimate test.
The Huskies bunkered down defensively and held two-time defending and top-ranked Barrington scoreless through 100 minutes of regulation and overtime before winning the 2019 Class 3A state championship game in a shootout.
Leonard, then a junior in her first varsity season, played a key role in that effort, though she did it at a position she had not played until just months earlier.
“I was always a center mid,” Leonard said. “Going into junior year, they threw me in defense, and I didn’t really know how to play.
“So I give (the coaching staff) credit for teaching me how to play defense, and I actually really enjoy it. Going through (that transition), I had to realize that it’s good to play different positions to have variety in your play.”
For Naperville North coach Steve Goletz, the decision to move Leonard was made out of necessity.
“We needed some depth at outside back,” Goletz said. “We had some ideas and different options.
“Jordan’s skill set is a hard-nosed defender in the middle of the field. She’s pretty good on her feet, and she has the ability to hit a ball.
“We tried it out. I think at the start it was rough for her, because it’s tough to switch positions as a junior in high school when you haven’t had any experience, especially getting left out on an island at outside back. But she kept getting better and better each practice and each game.”
Leonard’s willingness to help out the team made the transition easier. As a midfielder, she was stuck behind future Division I players Maddie Schlecht and Leah Shumate. But there was more opportunity for playing time on the backline.
“Jordan is a tough critic of herself and is someone who just eats up coaching and wants to know how to get better and different things that she can do,” Goletz said. “(Assistant coach Jim) Konrad worked a ton with her during the year in terms of positioning and when to step in and when not to, and how to read the game.”
Along the way, Leonard increased her soccer knowledge while bringing a physical presence to the backline.
“I enjoying playing physically,” Leonard said. “I feel like it’s an important role on defense.
“A lot of times people don’t understand how much work we actually do back there, and I didn’t even realize it. ... I didn’t realize how much (defenders) actually do until you’re actually put back there and get on the field and realize the teamwork and communications that are needed.”
It didn’t take long for Leonard to figure things out. She turned into a dependable outside back.
“The thing that just shocked me about Jordan as the year went on was by the middle of the year, she had solidified herself as the starting outside back, always in the right spot,” Goletz said. “Balls would get whipped across the middle of the field, and she’d be the last defender on the back post. She was always inside shoulder to be there to step in front and clear the ball out.
“She’s also a kid that’s never going to shy away from a fight. That’s a tough thing to go against as an outside back – somebody that’s willing to be physical and mix it up. And that’s Jordan to a ‘T.’”
All of those battles, coming as they did against the toughest team in the state, took their toll. By the time the playoffs arrived, Leonard was nursing a painful hip flexor injury.
After playing the first game of regionals, Leonard was advised by doctors to take time off. She missed four matches but returned for the state title match.
The other outside back, Paige Sylvester, was also dealing with an injury, so it wasn’t an ideal situation for the Huskies as they prepared to face an offensively superior opponent in Barrington.
“I didn’t know if I was going to go in at all, having that injury,” Leonard said. “Goletz didn’t want me to hurt it more.
“But it was a great opportunity to go in every 10 minutes for Paige. I got to play all the overtime minutes, so that was a really cool experience to go through.”
It was far from easy. The Huskies did not attempt a shot in the match and were on their heels chasing the ball nearly the entire time.
So what was the key to coping?
“Motivating each other, I think, was the biggest thing, especially for me and Paige,” Leonard said. “Coming off of injury we hadn’t really played that much at practices, so we were both exhausted.
“But you just have the adrenaline in you, and you keep going because you have everyone supporting you back there.”
As one of the few returning players with starting varsity experience, Leonard was looking forward to playing an elder statesman role on the Huskies this spring before the season was cancelled by the coronavirus pandemic.
But her playing career is not over. Leonard will play college soccer at Benedictine, where her older sister, Taylor, will be a junior midfielder in the fall. Taylor Leonard played on North’s 2018 team that finished third in the state.
“I was on JV1 that year. It kind of like boosted me to want to beat her in a way, because we’re so competitive with each other,” Leonard said. “It was an easy decision (to commit to Benedictine).
“It’s great to know that my soccer career isn’t ending. It is easier for me to accept, I feel, than other players (who aren’t playing in college).”
Leonard plans to major in exercise science and might become a coach or athletic trainer. There is one coach who is glad she picked Benedictine.
“I’m just really excited that she gets to stay close to home and get to play with her sister again,” Goletz said. “I know those two are super tight-knit and for them be able to share that next level together and then for all of us to be close by to follow their progress, it’s going to be really fun to see their development.”
defensive before Huskies won title
By Matt Le Cren
Jordan Leonard proved to be a quick study.
That’s one reason why Naperville North passed the ultimate test.
The Huskies bunkered down defensively and held two-time defending and top-ranked Barrington scoreless through 100 minutes of regulation and overtime before winning the 2019 Class 3A state championship game in a shootout.
Leonard, then a junior in her first varsity season, played a key role in that effort, though she did it at a position she had not played until just months earlier.
“I was always a center mid,” Leonard said. “Going into junior year, they threw me in defense, and I didn’t really know how to play.
“So I give (the coaching staff) credit for teaching me how to play defense, and I actually really enjoy it. Going through (that transition), I had to realize that it’s good to play different positions to have variety in your play.”
For Naperville North coach Steve Goletz, the decision to move Leonard was made out of necessity.
“We needed some depth at outside back,” Goletz said. “We had some ideas and different options.
“Jordan’s skill set is a hard-nosed defender in the middle of the field. She’s pretty good on her feet, and she has the ability to hit a ball.
“We tried it out. I think at the start it was rough for her, because it’s tough to switch positions as a junior in high school when you haven’t had any experience, especially getting left out on an island at outside back. But she kept getting better and better each practice and each game.”
Leonard’s willingness to help out the team made the transition easier. As a midfielder, she was stuck behind future Division I players Maddie Schlecht and Leah Shumate. But there was more opportunity for playing time on the backline.
“Jordan is a tough critic of herself and is someone who just eats up coaching and wants to know how to get better and different things that she can do,” Goletz said. “(Assistant coach Jim) Konrad worked a ton with her during the year in terms of positioning and when to step in and when not to, and how to read the game.”
Along the way, Leonard increased her soccer knowledge while bringing a physical presence to the backline.
“I enjoying playing physically,” Leonard said. “I feel like it’s an important role on defense.
“A lot of times people don’t understand how much work we actually do back there, and I didn’t even realize it. ... I didn’t realize how much (defenders) actually do until you’re actually put back there and get on the field and realize the teamwork and communications that are needed.”
It didn’t take long for Leonard to figure things out. She turned into a dependable outside back.
“The thing that just shocked me about Jordan as the year went on was by the middle of the year, she had solidified herself as the starting outside back, always in the right spot,” Goletz said. “Balls would get whipped across the middle of the field, and she’d be the last defender on the back post. She was always inside shoulder to be there to step in front and clear the ball out.
“She’s also a kid that’s never going to shy away from a fight. That’s a tough thing to go against as an outside back – somebody that’s willing to be physical and mix it up. And that’s Jordan to a ‘T.’”
All of those battles, coming as they did against the toughest team in the state, took their toll. By the time the playoffs arrived, Leonard was nursing a painful hip flexor injury.
After playing the first game of regionals, Leonard was advised by doctors to take time off. She missed four matches but returned for the state title match.
The other outside back, Paige Sylvester, was also dealing with an injury, so it wasn’t an ideal situation for the Huskies as they prepared to face an offensively superior opponent in Barrington.
“I didn’t know if I was going to go in at all, having that injury,” Leonard said. “Goletz didn’t want me to hurt it more.
“But it was a great opportunity to go in every 10 minutes for Paige. I got to play all the overtime minutes, so that was a really cool experience to go through.”
It was far from easy. The Huskies did not attempt a shot in the match and were on their heels chasing the ball nearly the entire time.
So what was the key to coping?
“Motivating each other, I think, was the biggest thing, especially for me and Paige,” Leonard said. “Coming off of injury we hadn’t really played that much at practices, so we were both exhausted.
“But you just have the adrenaline in you, and you keep going because you have everyone supporting you back there.”
As one of the few returning players with starting varsity experience, Leonard was looking forward to playing an elder statesman role on the Huskies this spring before the season was cancelled by the coronavirus pandemic.
But her playing career is not over. Leonard will play college soccer at Benedictine, where her older sister, Taylor, will be a junior midfielder in the fall. Taylor Leonard played on North’s 2018 team that finished third in the state.
“I was on JV1 that year. It kind of like boosted me to want to beat her in a way, because we’re so competitive with each other,” Leonard said. “It was an easy decision (to commit to Benedictine).
“It’s great to know that my soccer career isn’t ending. It is easier for me to accept, I feel, than other players (who aren’t playing in college).”
Leonard plans to major in exercise science and might become a coach or athletic trainer. There is one coach who is glad she picked Benedictine.
“I’m just really excited that she gets to stay close to home and get to play with her sister again,” Goletz said. “I know those two are super tight-knit and for them be able to share that next level together and then for all of us to be close by to follow their progress, it’s going to be really fun to see their development.”