Latest Yelle finds niche
on Geneva's soccer field
By Dave Owen
This fall, Margot Yelle will continue one family tradition when she heads to Wisconsin-Whitewater to begin a college athletic career.
But before that, the Geneva senior defender hopes to build on another long Yelle history for the Vikings.
“Margot is a hard worker, both on the field and in the classroom,” Geneva coach Megan Owens said. “She genuinely wants to constantly improve her game. She seeks feedback about her performance and will work hard at whatever suggestions a coach gives her.”
Yelle is a vital part of the 2020 Vikings. And she hasn’t had to look far to find a series of role models in Geneva blue and white.
It started nearly a decade ago with her cousin Kat Yelle, who exited Geneva as the all-time scoring leader in girls basketball. She went to hoops success as a starter at both Ohio University and Bradley (in her senior season).
“As a young girl, I witnessed the hard work my cousin Kat put into basketball,” Yelle said, “which showed that through dedication, practice and persistence, things come together.”
She would find even bigger influences at home.
“Ever since I was a little girl, my family always had me involved in some sort of sport,” Yelle said, “from basketball to volleyball to softball to hockey and of course soccer.
“I have an older brother, Martan, who plays college hockey (at Wisconsin-Superior) and a younger brother, Mack, who is playing AAA hockey.”
But older sister Maddy probably had the biggest impact.
From starting on Geneva’s back-to-back 2017 and 2018 girls basketball Class 4A state championship team to a stellar soccer career for the Vikings, Maddy (now playing basketball at Niagara University) was a major influence.
“After many years of playing different sports, soccer seemed to be my true passion,” Margot Yelle said. “Part of it was seeing the joy it brought to my older sister Maddy. Seeing her excel at soccer made me want to do the same.”
While Margot tried many sports, soccer always stood out.
“I used to play volleyball freshman year,” she said, “and I loved it but not as much as soccer. I always found myself practicing soccer in my free time (instead of) volleyball.
“I also did dabble a little in basketball but never had a fond interest in continuing the sport. Seeing how great my sister Maddy had become at it, I knew I never could top her.”
Beyond her basketball success, Maddy Yelle helped Geneva’s soccer team to a 21-2-1 record as a junior.
“I coached Margot's sister Maddy as well her sophomore and junior year when she played varsity soccer,” Owens said. “Maddy was a very talented soccer player, but basketball was her first love and true passion.”
In the spring of 2018, Maddy’s basketball future forced a tough but not unusual dilemma for future Division I college athletes.
“At the last minute, (Niagara) told her they didn't want her playing soccer her senior year due to the risk of injury,” Owens said. “We had a team meeting so Maddy could share the news, as she found out the day after winning state for basketball and after soccer practice had started.
“There were a lot of tears. Maddy was a valuable member of our soccer family.”
Fortunately for Geneva, another member of the Yelle family would soon be valuable as well.
Margot played on the junior varsity team as a sophomore in 2018, and debuted on varsity last spring.
“Where Maddy was a vocal leader for us,” Owens said, “Margot leads by example. Her calm demeanor and composure on the ball are invaluable to our backline.”
In the summer after her junior season, Margot also helped the Strikers Fox Valley ‘01 Premier club team reach the finals of the 2019 USYS Midwest Presidents Cup in suburban Kansas City.
“Margot is extremely athletic,” Owens said, “which gives her the versatility to play anywhere on our backline or as a defensive center-mid. She has nice height (5-foot-9) and speed, which are vital for centerbacks, her natural position. She has really come into her own over the past two years.
“Perhaps even more important, Margot has such a good heart,” Owens added. “She is a very caring, kind and thoughtful teammate, something we stress heavily in our program.
“She always works hard and leads by example. She is always willing to go the extra mile to help out her teammate or coaches. These traits make her a cherished member of our team.”
Yelle’s character and emergence as a player combined to produce her commitment to play this fall at Wisconsin-Whitewater.
“From the first time I stepped foot onto campus, I instantly knew UW-Whitewater was home,” said Yelle. “The atmosphere from the huge crowds at football games and knowing their history of successful sports programs (six Division III football championships and a finals berth this year) made the school hard to resist.
“Not only that, their soccer program did extremely well last season (a 14-6-1 record) and has proven to be my perfect fit. The coaching staff and team all are individually wonderful people who have made me feel a part of the team even before I’ve officially become a Warhawk.
“From being with the team numerous times,” Yelle added, “and seeing the strong relationships between the coaches and teammates, it has made me excited for what the future holds.”
Said Owens: “The University of Wisconsin at Whitewater is lucky to have her. She will be a great addition to their program, both on and off the soccer field.
“Not only is she a great athlete, but she is a wonderful teammate. I can't wait to see all she accomplishes at the next level.”
But when it comes to Yelle’s senior season at Geneva, "wait" has unfortunately become the word due to the COVID-19 virus.
“Although I’m extremely sad that our senior season is on hold, it’s the right thing to do based on this global crisis,” Yelle said. “Coach Owens has devoted her own time by putting together a variety of challenging workouts and ball work videos for the program to partake.
“I take many hours out of my day to stay as active as possible. I continue to work on my cardio as well as my foot skills, trying to stay as sharp as possible if the season is back on.
“Furthermore, every day we as a team spend an hour getting to know each other through different team bonding activities,” Yelle added. “Team bonding is especially important at this time, and will allow us to come back to the field as a strong united group. I look at this break as a time to prove to myself how much I want it.”
That attitude is no surprise to her coach.
“Self-motivation is not a trait all athletes have,” Owens said. “But Margot definitely does.”
Said Yelle: “In any sport, to get better you must put in the work. You need to have the motivation to want to work to accomplish your goals.
“As I began to grow up and soccer started to get more serious, I spent more time focusing on pushing myself to get better. It wasn’t easy, but seeing the results was something worth the ride.
“Challenges are what make the sport fun,” Yelle added. “They make you push yourself even harder just to prove to yourself what you are capable of. My career is not going to end after this season, so I need to continue to work hard to be successful at the next level.”
Yelle is just one member of Geneva’s senior class with a college soccer future.
That group is led by both goalkeepers, starter Katie Montgomery (Division I Missouri State) and Paige MacRitchie (Division II Nova Southeastern).
“Katie Montgomery is a very special player,” Yelle said. “She is able to see the perfect areas to place balls and communicates who should be involved. We all trust Katie with her insight, her loud voice and clear directions, which has made it easy especially for the defenders to work in unison.
“And Paige MacRitchie is no slouch herself in the goal. She’s a very talented goalkeeper.”
As part of a talented team and family, Yelle focused on making her mark on the soccer field.
“I love the competitiveness soccer has and the fun experiences it brings along the way,” she said. “As a defender, the best part of the game is being able to start a play from the back and watch it develop throughout the field to the back of the net.”
Being part of a quality program has helped feed that enjoyment.
“Geneva soccer has allowed me to strive to improve upon my game while having fun,” Yelle said. “Everyone in the program has a strong mentality and competitive edge that allows each other to push themselves to get better. Geneva soccer is one big loving family that constantly has everyone’s back.
“Soccer has allowed me to create everlasting friendships and memories with all my teammates. It has sparked a joy in myself that I know I would not be able to find in any other sport.”
on Geneva's soccer field
By Dave Owen
This fall, Margot Yelle will continue one family tradition when she heads to Wisconsin-Whitewater to begin a college athletic career.
But before that, the Geneva senior defender hopes to build on another long Yelle history for the Vikings.
“Margot is a hard worker, both on the field and in the classroom,” Geneva coach Megan Owens said. “She genuinely wants to constantly improve her game. She seeks feedback about her performance and will work hard at whatever suggestions a coach gives her.”
Yelle is a vital part of the 2020 Vikings. And she hasn’t had to look far to find a series of role models in Geneva blue and white.
It started nearly a decade ago with her cousin Kat Yelle, who exited Geneva as the all-time scoring leader in girls basketball. She went to hoops success as a starter at both Ohio University and Bradley (in her senior season).
“As a young girl, I witnessed the hard work my cousin Kat put into basketball,” Yelle said, “which showed that through dedication, practice and persistence, things come together.”
She would find even bigger influences at home.
“Ever since I was a little girl, my family always had me involved in some sort of sport,” Yelle said, “from basketball to volleyball to softball to hockey and of course soccer.
“I have an older brother, Martan, who plays college hockey (at Wisconsin-Superior) and a younger brother, Mack, who is playing AAA hockey.”
But older sister Maddy probably had the biggest impact.
From starting on Geneva’s back-to-back 2017 and 2018 girls basketball Class 4A state championship team to a stellar soccer career for the Vikings, Maddy (now playing basketball at Niagara University) was a major influence.
“After many years of playing different sports, soccer seemed to be my true passion,” Margot Yelle said. “Part of it was seeing the joy it brought to my older sister Maddy. Seeing her excel at soccer made me want to do the same.”
While Margot tried many sports, soccer always stood out.
“I used to play volleyball freshman year,” she said, “and I loved it but not as much as soccer. I always found myself practicing soccer in my free time (instead of) volleyball.
“I also did dabble a little in basketball but never had a fond interest in continuing the sport. Seeing how great my sister Maddy had become at it, I knew I never could top her.”
Beyond her basketball success, Maddy Yelle helped Geneva’s soccer team to a 21-2-1 record as a junior.
“I coached Margot's sister Maddy as well her sophomore and junior year when she played varsity soccer,” Owens said. “Maddy was a very talented soccer player, but basketball was her first love and true passion.”
In the spring of 2018, Maddy’s basketball future forced a tough but not unusual dilemma for future Division I college athletes.
“At the last minute, (Niagara) told her they didn't want her playing soccer her senior year due to the risk of injury,” Owens said. “We had a team meeting so Maddy could share the news, as she found out the day after winning state for basketball and after soccer practice had started.
“There were a lot of tears. Maddy was a valuable member of our soccer family.”
Fortunately for Geneva, another member of the Yelle family would soon be valuable as well.
Margot played on the junior varsity team as a sophomore in 2018, and debuted on varsity last spring.
“Where Maddy was a vocal leader for us,” Owens said, “Margot leads by example. Her calm demeanor and composure on the ball are invaluable to our backline.”
In the summer after her junior season, Margot also helped the Strikers Fox Valley ‘01 Premier club team reach the finals of the 2019 USYS Midwest Presidents Cup in suburban Kansas City.
“Margot is extremely athletic,” Owens said, “which gives her the versatility to play anywhere on our backline or as a defensive center-mid. She has nice height (5-foot-9) and speed, which are vital for centerbacks, her natural position. She has really come into her own over the past two years.
“Perhaps even more important, Margot has such a good heart,” Owens added. “She is a very caring, kind and thoughtful teammate, something we stress heavily in our program.
“She always works hard and leads by example. She is always willing to go the extra mile to help out her teammate or coaches. These traits make her a cherished member of our team.”
Yelle’s character and emergence as a player combined to produce her commitment to play this fall at Wisconsin-Whitewater.
“From the first time I stepped foot onto campus, I instantly knew UW-Whitewater was home,” said Yelle. “The atmosphere from the huge crowds at football games and knowing their history of successful sports programs (six Division III football championships and a finals berth this year) made the school hard to resist.
“Not only that, their soccer program did extremely well last season (a 14-6-1 record) and has proven to be my perfect fit. The coaching staff and team all are individually wonderful people who have made me feel a part of the team even before I’ve officially become a Warhawk.
“From being with the team numerous times,” Yelle added, “and seeing the strong relationships between the coaches and teammates, it has made me excited for what the future holds.”
Said Owens: “The University of Wisconsin at Whitewater is lucky to have her. She will be a great addition to their program, both on and off the soccer field.
“Not only is she a great athlete, but she is a wonderful teammate. I can't wait to see all she accomplishes at the next level.”
But when it comes to Yelle’s senior season at Geneva, "wait" has unfortunately become the word due to the COVID-19 virus.
“Although I’m extremely sad that our senior season is on hold, it’s the right thing to do based on this global crisis,” Yelle said. “Coach Owens has devoted her own time by putting together a variety of challenging workouts and ball work videos for the program to partake.
“I take many hours out of my day to stay as active as possible. I continue to work on my cardio as well as my foot skills, trying to stay as sharp as possible if the season is back on.
“Furthermore, every day we as a team spend an hour getting to know each other through different team bonding activities,” Yelle added. “Team bonding is especially important at this time, and will allow us to come back to the field as a strong united group. I look at this break as a time to prove to myself how much I want it.”
That attitude is no surprise to her coach.
“Self-motivation is not a trait all athletes have,” Owens said. “But Margot definitely does.”
Said Yelle: “In any sport, to get better you must put in the work. You need to have the motivation to want to work to accomplish your goals.
“As I began to grow up and soccer started to get more serious, I spent more time focusing on pushing myself to get better. It wasn’t easy, but seeing the results was something worth the ride.
“Challenges are what make the sport fun,” Yelle added. “They make you push yourself even harder just to prove to yourself what you are capable of. My career is not going to end after this season, so I need to continue to work hard to be successful at the next level.”
Yelle is just one member of Geneva’s senior class with a college soccer future.
That group is led by both goalkeepers, starter Katie Montgomery (Division I Missouri State) and Paige MacRitchie (Division II Nova Southeastern).
“Katie Montgomery is a very special player,” Yelle said. “She is able to see the perfect areas to place balls and communicates who should be involved. We all trust Katie with her insight, her loud voice and clear directions, which has made it easy especially for the defenders to work in unison.
“And Paige MacRitchie is no slouch herself in the goal. She’s a very talented goalkeeper.”
As part of a talented team and family, Yelle focused on making her mark on the soccer field.
“I love the competitiveness soccer has and the fun experiences it brings along the way,” she said. “As a defender, the best part of the game is being able to start a play from the back and watch it develop throughout the field to the back of the net.”
Being part of a quality program has helped feed that enjoyment.
“Geneva soccer has allowed me to strive to improve upon my game while having fun,” Yelle said. “Everyone in the program has a strong mentality and competitive edge that allows each other to push themselves to get better. Geneva soccer is one big loving family that constantly has everyone’s back.
“Soccer has allowed me to create everlasting friendships and memories with all my teammates. It has sparked a joy in myself that I know I would not be able to find in any other sport.”