Weaving the ball through the field, junior Kathryn Hardy makes her way to the goal. With a touch to the right, she sends a shot through to the corner of the net, and… score!

These moments have been a part of Hardy’s life since she began playing soccer at three years old. Starting out with the Catholic Youth Council (CYC), Hardy eventually moved up to play select soccer. She joined St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club when she entered kindergarten, playing on an ECNL-RL team — a highly competitive girls soccer league. While she played club soccer in the fall, Hardy played high school soccer with the girls varsity team in the spring. 

“I decided to play [high school] soccer because my sisters both played and they really enjoyed it,” Hardy said. “High school soccer has helped me grow confidence because I got a lot of playing time, so I performed better and was a better player overall.”

Hardy’s older sister and alumnus Mary Hardy played high school soccer and committed to play Division 1 soccer at Murray State University. Following in her sister’s footsteps, Hardy announced her commitment to the same institution on Sept. 23. 

“I liked the team at Murray State,” Hardy said. “Everyone was really nice and it seemed like a good environment. I liked the coach because he made the process seem very comfortable for me.” 

While going through the college recruitment process, Hardy faced tough decisions and worked hard to make her dream come true. She attended an identification camp at Murray State University, as well as other colleges. Additionally, Hardy emailed coaches and invited multiple to watch her games. 

“Watching [my sister] play soccer in college gave me the confidence to decide to play college soccer,” Hardy said. “For a while, [especially] at the beginning of freshman year, I didn’t want to play, but after high school soccer, I changed my mind.” 

Hardy leaned on head varsity soccer coach Annie Wayland for support in the process. Wayland has coached Hardy for two years, and before Hardy played, she served as a coach to Hardy’s sister. Meeting regularly, Wayland worked to help Hardy find the best fit for her future. 

“[Hardy] has got so much to offer. Her willingness to continue to grow as a player is a huge asset as a coach,” Wayland said. “Each year, she keeps getting better and better, so I hope she goes in with the confidence that she deserves. She deserves everything that she gets [because] she’s worked hard her entire life to achieve her dream. I couldn’t be happier for her or more proud of her.”

Like Wayland, junior Margaret Leahy, was an integral part of Hardy’s journey to Division I soccer, as both a teammate and friend. Similar to Hardy, Leahy has been a part of the varsity girls soccer team for two years and is in her own recruitment process. 

“I love my girl [Hardy],” Leahy said. “She is very determined, aggressive and just amazing. I’m always there for anything that she needs. We’ve been talking a lot about [recruitment] because I wanted to commit to [a college team] too, so we’ve just been there for each other.”