Charcut overcomes disappointment, relishes time at New Trier
By Michael Wojtychiw
The 2020 season would have been a special one for New Trier keeper Courtney Charcut.
After two years of serving as Meghan Dwyer’s understudy, this season would have been a breakout one for the senior goalie.
Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic had other plans and led to the cancellation of all IHSA spring sports, ruining those special moments for Charcut.
"I was really frustrated," she said. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time. But I also realize now how lucky I am to be able to be a part of NTGS (New Trier Girls Soccer) for three years, and just know the culture and meet all these girls that play such a high-intensity soccer. It was something really special, but obviously I wish I had it this year too."
With the season ending right after it opened, it would have been easy for Charcut and her teammates to just mope around and be sad for a number of months.
But the goalie did what she's always done: stepped up as a leader.
One of nine seniors on the 2020 version of the Trevians squad, Charcut has played a key role with her team this year, whether it be on the field for the week they were able to have practice, on Zoom calls or through shared workouts the team has been doing.
"She's very sweet,” Emma Weaver said, “That's why we balanced each other out, because sometimes I get very competitive and very focused on one thing, but she keeps everything in perspective.
“She's very inclusive when sometimes I would just be very hard on people. It's a natural tendency that I have, so she'd loosen me up and make me laugh and be funny, which is also a good type of leader to have. "
Growing up a New Trier soccer fan, Charcut always seemed to gravitate to the goalkeeper position, watching in awe as the Trevians won three-consecutive state titles behind standout goalkeeper Dani Kaufman.
Charcut says she shagged shots for the former Trevians star and hoped it'd be her that stood between those same posts one day.
"She was a great role model for me," Charcut said. "I ballgirled for her and everything. I wanted to be just like her when I was in high school. So, being on that field, I was like, 'Oh, I kind of made it.' I always looked up to her, and I always wanted to be a confident goalie like she was."
That confidence, however, wasn't there at first.
Making the team as a sophomore behind the aforementioned Dwyer, it was easy to see why coach Jim Burnside had enough confidence in her to bring her up so early in her career. Charcut played in six games her sophomore year, not allowing a goal, and then played in 12 contests for last season's third place Trevians, giving up six goals in 12 games.
"To be 100 percent, I did not view Courtney in any way, shape or form being a first-year (starter),” the coach said. “The way she’s played, the way she’s led, the way she’s looked, she’s a veteran.
“She is a ridiculous athlete. She’s one of the fastest kids in the program, an extremely hard worker. She’s intense in a way that she really wants to do well in anything that she does. You have to shoot for perfection, because if there’s one time that something was wrong, it could be a goal. And that’s going to happen. Nobody’s ever going to be perfect, but she shoots for it.”
Even with her coach's confidence in her from the get-go, Charcut was still nervous in net.
"Burnside's always given me a lot of confidence," she said. "I think sometimes he's had more confidence in me than I've had in myself, but I think part of the process is that, even when you're nervous, you kind of have to be.
"You're on the field to get the experience and know what it's like, and then you can get more confident from that. He's good at teaching all the players to have confidence and believe in yourself.
"My first day of sophomore year, I was at my first varsity game. I was so nervous to be playing on the big field that I've never played on and always dreamed of playing on.
"He just knew that I could do it, even though I was a little nervous. He knew I could do it, and I did it. I just played and it was fine, but I was obviously really nervous the first time, first couple of times."
Charcut now will head to the University of Wisconsin next season to study nursing. After finishing with a nursing degree, the plan is for her to head off for more education to become a physician assistant. Her love of science and ambition to help people is what led her to Madison.
The New Trier keeper hopes to earn a spot in the Badgers' club soccer program next year. If that doesn't work out, she’ll probably play intramurals because the sport is something she can't imagine not having in her life.
Weaver, who says soccer has brought her and Charcut closer throughout their New Trier careers, gave her high praise.
"She would have been an amazing keeper," Weaver said. "I remember last year, some of the saves that she had when she played were insane. We were like, 'Where did that come from?' She would have been an All-State keeper, I would say.
"She had so much potential. She had been working at it too. We'd go to the field a lot together, and I'd shoot on her, and it's just a lot of fun.
“I would have loved to see her shine this year. Her confidence over the past three years has grown enormously. She was going to be very confident this year, which I was excited to see because she had always been someone to let others shine."
By Michael Wojtychiw
The 2020 season would have been a special one for New Trier keeper Courtney Charcut.
After two years of serving as Meghan Dwyer’s understudy, this season would have been a breakout one for the senior goalie.
Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic had other plans and led to the cancellation of all IHSA spring sports, ruining those special moments for Charcut.
"I was really frustrated," she said. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time. But I also realize now how lucky I am to be able to be a part of NTGS (New Trier Girls Soccer) for three years, and just know the culture and meet all these girls that play such a high-intensity soccer. It was something really special, but obviously I wish I had it this year too."
With the season ending right after it opened, it would have been easy for Charcut and her teammates to just mope around and be sad for a number of months.
But the goalie did what she's always done: stepped up as a leader.
One of nine seniors on the 2020 version of the Trevians squad, Charcut has played a key role with her team this year, whether it be on the field for the week they were able to have practice, on Zoom calls or through shared workouts the team has been doing.
"She's very sweet,” Emma Weaver said, “That's why we balanced each other out, because sometimes I get very competitive and very focused on one thing, but she keeps everything in perspective.
“She's very inclusive when sometimes I would just be very hard on people. It's a natural tendency that I have, so she'd loosen me up and make me laugh and be funny, which is also a good type of leader to have. "
Growing up a New Trier soccer fan, Charcut always seemed to gravitate to the goalkeeper position, watching in awe as the Trevians won three-consecutive state titles behind standout goalkeeper Dani Kaufman.
Charcut says she shagged shots for the former Trevians star and hoped it'd be her that stood between those same posts one day.
"She was a great role model for me," Charcut said. "I ballgirled for her and everything. I wanted to be just like her when I was in high school. So, being on that field, I was like, 'Oh, I kind of made it.' I always looked up to her, and I always wanted to be a confident goalie like she was."
That confidence, however, wasn't there at first.
Making the team as a sophomore behind the aforementioned Dwyer, it was easy to see why coach Jim Burnside had enough confidence in her to bring her up so early in her career. Charcut played in six games her sophomore year, not allowing a goal, and then played in 12 contests for last season's third place Trevians, giving up six goals in 12 games.
"To be 100 percent, I did not view Courtney in any way, shape or form being a first-year (starter),” the coach said. “The way she’s played, the way she’s led, the way she’s looked, she’s a veteran.
“She is a ridiculous athlete. She’s one of the fastest kids in the program, an extremely hard worker. She’s intense in a way that she really wants to do well in anything that she does. You have to shoot for perfection, because if there’s one time that something was wrong, it could be a goal. And that’s going to happen. Nobody’s ever going to be perfect, but she shoots for it.”
Even with her coach's confidence in her from the get-go, Charcut was still nervous in net.
"Burnside's always given me a lot of confidence," she said. "I think sometimes he's had more confidence in me than I've had in myself, but I think part of the process is that, even when you're nervous, you kind of have to be.
"You're on the field to get the experience and know what it's like, and then you can get more confident from that. He's good at teaching all the players to have confidence and believe in yourself.
"My first day of sophomore year, I was at my first varsity game. I was so nervous to be playing on the big field that I've never played on and always dreamed of playing on.
"He just knew that I could do it, even though I was a little nervous. He knew I could do it, and I did it. I just played and it was fine, but I was obviously really nervous the first time, first couple of times."
Charcut now will head to the University of Wisconsin next season to study nursing. After finishing with a nursing degree, the plan is for her to head off for more education to become a physician assistant. Her love of science and ambition to help people is what led her to Madison.
The New Trier keeper hopes to earn a spot in the Badgers' club soccer program next year. If that doesn't work out, she’ll probably play intramurals because the sport is something she can't imagine not having in her life.
Weaver, who says soccer has brought her and Charcut closer throughout their New Trier careers, gave her high praise.
"She would have been an amazing keeper," Weaver said. "I remember last year, some of the saves that she had when she played were insane. We were like, 'Where did that come from?' She would have been an All-State keeper, I would say.
"She had so much potential. She had been working at it too. We'd go to the field a lot together, and I'd shoot on her, and it's just a lot of fun.
“I would have loved to see her shine this year. Her confidence over the past three years has grown enormously. She was going to be very confident this year, which I was excited to see because she had always been someone to let others shine."