Newcomer Elevates Girls’ Soccer

“[Soccer is] fun to play.. It’s interesting,” said Devon Ortman, a freshman who not only plays on the varsity soccer team but stands out on the roster.

Ortman has played soccer for 8 years, since the age of 6, and is the center back and lead defender on the varsity squad.

“I was always watching it on TV and my brother was already playing soccer for Lamorinda [Soccer Club], and my parents were like, ‘Why don’t you try it?’,” said Ortman. She started at Lafayette Moraga Youth Association (LMYA),  then went to play at Lamorinda Soccer Club, and then Magic Soccer Club.

Her favorite thing about soccer is game play and teammates, but Ortman admits that sometimes she doesn’t like the practices. She said that frustration with practices early in her soccer career even made her consider quitting, but now she is happy she didn’t.

Ortman’s goal for the team is to be better than last year’s team by winning at least 2 league games. Ortman also said she hoped “to bond [with the team] because everybody said the team [last year] wasn’t close.”

After she finishes high school, Ortman is interested in participating in collegiate athletics. “I feel like it would be nice, but if I could get in [to college] with education, that would be nice too,” she added.

According to coach Ernesto Silva, Ortman plays, performs, and commands like an upperclassman.

Sophomore center back Nicole Huebner, a 4-year teammate of Ortman’s, said, “Devon is a player that inspires us all. She has a lot of confidence on and especially off the field.” Huebner also added that Ortman “provides a lot of really helpful advice… she makes sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to.”

“Loud playing– she is good on and off the field with communication and fun to be around,” said senior goalkeeper Haleigh Goett about her teammate. “She is very skilled.. she came out knowing her place and is a very strong player in the back, and is a very important position to lead our defense,” Goett added.

Ortman also ran cross country in the fall and plans to play lacrosse in the spring.