Derrick Webb, Staff Writer
GREENFIELD — If there’s one thing that’s for sure in Greenfield, it’s that Kerigan Pollard’s name will live forever inside McClain’s soccer programs.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
It could be argued that Pollard is the greatest soccer player to ever play at McClain. After all, she holds the Tigers’ all-time scoring record with 116 career goals and helped transform the program from an afterthought to a solid contender.
Pollard will now take her talents to Mount St. Joseph University, where she’ll continue to barrage the opposing goalkeeper.
“I chose MSJ because when looking for a place that has a good art education program and a great soccer program, I found my academic and athletic goals all in one college,” Pollard said.
Pollard led the Tigers to a 7-11 record this past fall and a 2-1 win over Circleville in a Division II sectional semifinal — the program’s winningest season and its first-ever postseason victory.
“My family, teammates, and coaches have definitely helped a lot over this recurring process,” Pollard said. “They have all been so supportive of the decisions I’ve made and have helped guide me to pick the best school for me.”
The Lions finished the 2019 season with a 16-3-3 mark alongside a 7-1-1 record in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Their year ended with a 4-3 loss to Illinois Wesleyan in an NCAA First Round match.
“I’m looking forward to meeting new teammates, improving my skills on the field and facing some new challenges at the collegiate level,” Pollard said.
So, who fills Pollard shoes at McClain? The short answer is that it’s simply impossible to do.
You don’t simply replace great players like Pollard. Instead, you try and use what she did and how she played to teach younger players and build a successful culture.
That’s exactly what Pollard hopes takes place.
“I feel I’ve left a legacy that inspires upcoming and current girls to work hard for what they want, on and off the field,” Pollard said. “We used to be a team who was lucky to win two games in a season and now that’s in the past. I hope the next generation can look up to me and I would love to see my records broken by someone in the years to come. In all, I just hope that the legacy I left inspires and will continue to grow the soccer programs.”