Team preview: Fremd
By Mike Garofola
The almost forgotten art of defending has not been lost at Fremd. Manager Steve Keller insists his players perform at a high level in order to protect the Vikings goal.
"Playing good defense is a tradition at Fremd,” said senior backliner Lauren Burk. “(We) all know it coming in, and it's just something that (Keller) works on continuously until we get it right."
Whether the Vikings go with three or four in the back, you can bet Burk will be in the middle of the backline with teammates Allie and Liz Prigge alongside to form an immovable defensive unit.
Burk, the Prigge sisters and keeper Jenny Norris are clearly one of the best defensive groups around. And if the 2020 campaign begins, the quartet will be the strength of a club ready to challenge for a Mid-Suburban League title and much more in the postseason.
"Expectations are very high this season," said Burk, who along with Norris and Liz Prigge were named to the 2019 Chicagoland Soccer All-State Team.
The four are among 10 players who were with the big club two years ago as sophomores, a fact not lost on Burk.
"So many of us have been on the varsity for a while and even before that (played together) in club at Palatine Celtic,” Burk said. “That's why we feel this is our year. Now we just have to get out there and play.”
Win, lose or draw, Burk is first class and willing to offer postgame comments, even when the result did not go the Vikings way.
As a player, this three-year starter is a sublime man-maker, who reads the game as well as anyone.
There may be more cultured central defenders but few are an equal to Burk when it comes to ferocious tackles, grit, awareness, and air superiority.
"Having Lauren in front of me makes my job so easy," says Norris, whose friendship with Burk goes way back.
Norris follows a long line of magnificent keepers at Fremd beginning with her older sister Shannon, who was between the sticks for Keller the last time (2011) the Vikings advanced into the Class 3A state Final Four.
After her graduation, Shannon Norris attended the University of Minnesota and earned a degree in Pyschology with a minor in Spanish.
"I was fortunate to have a coach when I first began to play who taught me so much about being a keeper.” Jenny Norris said. “And to be honest, I never saw myself as a field player, so I just fell in love playing the position. "
She took over for Kelsie Stone, a two-time Chicagoland Soccer All-Stater. Stone continued her career at Drake University, where she was named all-Missouri Valley Conference last fall.
"There's so many things I like about being a goalkeeper: being the last line of defense, the pressure of living in the moment when it really counts, so many things," said Norris.
Last season, Norris was named All-Midwest following a season that included 14 clean-sheets and a .49 goals against average.
There is no better communicator or organizer than Norris, who is quite capable of pulling off miraculous, fearless saves -- all done with terrific composure and confidence that give the players in front of her a safety net and the reassurance that is so important.
"I don't think anyone is as good as Norris," Burk said. "She has great hands and reflexes, and just her presence back there means so much to all of us."
The two friends admit it's difficult sitting around waiting out the current COVID-19 crisis.
"I've been working out every day (doing) my best to stay in shape, staying in touch with my teammates as we all try to follow similar work-outs,” Burk said. “Of course, there's TV, board games and reading books - which is something I rarely do."
Burk has yet to decide on where her new address will be next fall: Wisconsin or Miami ( Ohio). Should it be Miami, she will be the eighth in her family to do so.
"What's hard is knowing all the work we've all put in during the offseason and into the first few weeks of training may not mean a thing," admits Norris.
"It's really difficult not seeing all of my teammates - we stay in touch on Instagram, which the Prigges set up. And of course, we text and snap chat. We're a team that is so close with each other.
"We all feel that this is the year for us, so all we can do is stay in shape, keep ourselves ready, and hope that somehow, we'll be back out there playing."
Despite the uncertain outlook for this season, Burk was still able to provide some comic relief to the situation.
"My hamstrings are 100% (she endured hamstring injuries all throughout 2019), and I have brand new shoes (Burk played with an old pair of boots that used enough tape to wrap around the entire school in order to keep her boots together for 22 games).
"So if I have all that going for me, we have to play! "
2020 Fremd Vikings
Manager: Steve Keller (20th year, 264-130-42).
2019 Record: 14-5-3 (8-1-2).
Graduation losses: Laura Dib, Christy Murauskis, Morgan Perkins, Emma Spotik, Kayla Tanner, Juliana Temple, Zhara Trott.
Top returning players: seniors Lauren Burk (D), Emma Katovich (MF), Maddie McCarthy (MF), Jenny Norris (GK), Maya Poyraz (MF), Allie Prigge (D), Liz Prigge (D), Mackenzie Stein (MF), Claire Stewart (MF); juniors Rose Kentish (MF), Palak Khera (D), Ashley Scesniak (MF), Caeleigh Stone (F).
New faces to watch: sophomores Elizabeth Clark (D), Anna Schmidt (F), Lily Spotak (F), Kylie Williams (MF).
Click here to see the Vikings team page!
By Mike Garofola
The almost forgotten art of defending has not been lost at Fremd. Manager Steve Keller insists his players perform at a high level in order to protect the Vikings goal.
"Playing good defense is a tradition at Fremd,” said senior backliner Lauren Burk. “(We) all know it coming in, and it's just something that (Keller) works on continuously until we get it right."
Whether the Vikings go with three or four in the back, you can bet Burk will be in the middle of the backline with teammates Allie and Liz Prigge alongside to form an immovable defensive unit.
Burk, the Prigge sisters and keeper Jenny Norris are clearly one of the best defensive groups around. And if the 2020 campaign begins, the quartet will be the strength of a club ready to challenge for a Mid-Suburban League title and much more in the postseason.
"Expectations are very high this season," said Burk, who along with Norris and Liz Prigge were named to the 2019 Chicagoland Soccer All-State Team.
The four are among 10 players who were with the big club two years ago as sophomores, a fact not lost on Burk.
"So many of us have been on the varsity for a while and even before that (played together) in club at Palatine Celtic,” Burk said. “That's why we feel this is our year. Now we just have to get out there and play.”
Win, lose or draw, Burk is first class and willing to offer postgame comments, even when the result did not go the Vikings way.
As a player, this three-year starter is a sublime man-maker, who reads the game as well as anyone.
There may be more cultured central defenders but few are an equal to Burk when it comes to ferocious tackles, grit, awareness, and air superiority.
"Having Lauren in front of me makes my job so easy," says Norris, whose friendship with Burk goes way back.
Norris follows a long line of magnificent keepers at Fremd beginning with her older sister Shannon, who was between the sticks for Keller the last time (2011) the Vikings advanced into the Class 3A state Final Four.
After her graduation, Shannon Norris attended the University of Minnesota and earned a degree in Pyschology with a minor in Spanish.
"I was fortunate to have a coach when I first began to play who taught me so much about being a keeper.” Jenny Norris said. “And to be honest, I never saw myself as a field player, so I just fell in love playing the position. "
She took over for Kelsie Stone, a two-time Chicagoland Soccer All-Stater. Stone continued her career at Drake University, where she was named all-Missouri Valley Conference last fall.
"There's so many things I like about being a goalkeeper: being the last line of defense, the pressure of living in the moment when it really counts, so many things," said Norris.
Last season, Norris was named All-Midwest following a season that included 14 clean-sheets and a .49 goals against average.
There is no better communicator or organizer than Norris, who is quite capable of pulling off miraculous, fearless saves -- all done with terrific composure and confidence that give the players in front of her a safety net and the reassurance that is so important.
"I don't think anyone is as good as Norris," Burk said. "She has great hands and reflexes, and just her presence back there means so much to all of us."
The two friends admit it's difficult sitting around waiting out the current COVID-19 crisis.
"I've been working out every day (doing) my best to stay in shape, staying in touch with my teammates as we all try to follow similar work-outs,” Burk said. “Of course, there's TV, board games and reading books - which is something I rarely do."
Burk has yet to decide on where her new address will be next fall: Wisconsin or Miami ( Ohio). Should it be Miami, she will be the eighth in her family to do so.
"What's hard is knowing all the work we've all put in during the offseason and into the first few weeks of training may not mean a thing," admits Norris.
"It's really difficult not seeing all of my teammates - we stay in touch on Instagram, which the Prigges set up. And of course, we text and snap chat. We're a team that is so close with each other.
"We all feel that this is the year for us, so all we can do is stay in shape, keep ourselves ready, and hope that somehow, we'll be back out there playing."
Despite the uncertain outlook for this season, Burk was still able to provide some comic relief to the situation.
"My hamstrings are 100% (she endured hamstring injuries all throughout 2019), and I have brand new shoes (Burk played with an old pair of boots that used enough tape to wrap around the entire school in order to keep her boots together for 22 games).
"So if I have all that going for me, we have to play! "
2020 Fremd Vikings
Manager: Steve Keller (20th year, 264-130-42).
2019 Record: 14-5-3 (8-1-2).
Graduation losses: Laura Dib, Christy Murauskis, Morgan Perkins, Emma Spotik, Kayla Tanner, Juliana Temple, Zhara Trott.
Top returning players: seniors Lauren Burk (D), Emma Katovich (MF), Maddie McCarthy (MF), Jenny Norris (GK), Maya Poyraz (MF), Allie Prigge (D), Liz Prigge (D), Mackenzie Stein (MF), Claire Stewart (MF); juniors Rose Kentish (MF), Palak Khera (D), Ashley Scesniak (MF), Caeleigh Stone (F).
New faces to watch: sophomores Elizabeth Clark (D), Anna Schmidt (F), Lily Spotak (F), Kylie Williams (MF).
Click here to see the Vikings team page!