BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — Entering her freshman season at Sharyland High, Kaitie Watson was scared. Would she be able to get along with her new teammates? Would they accept her as a primary scoring option? Could she hold up with one of the Valley’s premier programs?
“I was afraid I wasn’t going to be good enough for this team, because I had heard of their success,” Watson said. “I had always dreamed of being a Lady Rattler one day. It was very intimidating at first, but once I got to know the girls and they accepted me, I was very happy.”
After scoring a team-leading 36 goals and helping Sharyland High to the regional tournament, it’s safe to say everything worked out for Watson. As icing on the cake, she also earned All-Valley Newcomer of the Year.
“I was a little surprised (to win) at first, because there were a lot of good freshmen coming in this year,” Watson said. “I knew there was a lot of competition. I knew I just had to work hard if I really wanted it. And when coach called me and told me I got it, I was very happy and proud of myself for working as hard as I did this season.”
Watson’s success was no surprise to coach Aaron Clemons and senior captain Nikki Gonzalez, who both caught a glimpse of what the freshman was capable of during the summer.
Her speed, dribbling ability and strong leg were instantly clear.
“I knew the first time I saw her touch the ball,” Clemons said. “I was watching the game from a distance and I said, ‘Wow, what a blessing it is to have that.’”
The opposition quickly caught on, too, throwing double or triple teams her way whenever possible. Clemons said it “didn’t seem to stop her much.”
Gonzalez was most impressed with Watson’s ability to facilitate offense in the Rattlers’ one-forward system. Watson knew when to buy time for the rest of the team to push up and when to display her ability to dribble through defenders.
“I have a knack for taking people on,” Watson said. “I really like going one vs. one. I like getting those through balls, and chasing the ball down and just doing what I love to do.”
Watson got her start playing in the McAllen Youth Soccer Association when she was four or five years old. She said her biggest improvement in her first season at the high-school level was becoming more of a team player — “not being so greedy.”
Clemons said he sometimes had to urge her to shoot more, as she would be almost too unselfish.
He gave her the nickname “Firecracker” early in the season, a nod to her bright red hair and energetic style. Those attributes helped her earn a lot of fan support, as she quickly became the most frequent target of cheers and chants from the stands.
Watson said the support helped her confidence, and Clemons saw her mentality evolve during the season.
“Just her coming out of her shell,” Clemons said. “She’s very shy in nature, but as time went by she became more vocal and really, truly is going to make a great leader for us one day.”
The future appears bright for Watson and the Lady Rattlers, as the team returns eight starters for next season. In addition to Watson, Isabella Marinaro returns after scoring 28 goals and Vanessa Guevara is back after netting 27.
“If we stay with it and we follow the stuff that Nikki and the other seniors left behind,” Watson said, “I feel that we can go just as far, if not farther.”