Rose basketball highlights
THU.| 5-8-25 | SPORTS
Freshman Maya Mills is a dedicated multi-sport athlete. Without much time to train in between basketball and soccer this year, her team suddenly needed her to step up into a key role on the pitch.
Mills has been playing soccer since she was three years old. She started playing goalie in fifth grade and did not enjoy it at first, but as she has grown in her confidence and skill, her perspective has changed.
“Last year it finally clicked that I liked it more, especially when I started to get coached on it,” Mills said.
The team began preparing during preseason workouts in mid-December. During this time Mills was still in basketball season, helping her team qualify for playoffs. This was exciting, but left no time to prepare for soccer.
“I felt a little underprepared coming into this season, because basketball season had just ended and there wasn’t a break in between,” Mills said. “I went straight from losing in basketball playoffs to soccer with our first games that week.”
During pregame warmups, junior Parker Hawley dove for the ball and snapped her pinky finger. A few minutes before the start of the game Maya had to step up and be ready.
“It was a lot, 10 minutes before the game I was not ready and had only been practicing with the team for a few weeks, “ Mills said. “ I didn’t really know everyone or how everyone played yet.”
With little time to prepare, Mills’ first game was filled with lots of emotion. They were playing a tough opponent, Middle Creek, and Mills felt a little unprepared without much time to warm up and step in so unexpectedly.
“I made a lot more saves than I thought I was going to have to,” Mills said. “There were a few big saves that I didn’t know I could make.”
Assistant coach Curren Patton helps to prepare the goalies for games. They do goalie warmups before the games and practices. Patton has always known they are in good hands no matter who was playing in goal that game.
“She got the first start because Parker broke her finger, but Maya is a really good goalie and was next up anyway,” Patton said. “She was ready and has
done great.”
Patton has seen Mills grow from the beginning of the season, and he sees the special bond the team has together on the field.
“She’s got the skill, it’s just getting the confidence level up and being confident in herself,” Patton said. “We also have a lot of returning girls, which is nice, very close knit team with lots of talent and lots of skill.”
It wasn’t what anyone expected, but Mills has enjoyed the relationships she’s gained from this opportunity and the strong support system the team provides.
“I am happy that my coach believed in me and knew I could do it, as well as my team being there for me and encouraging me through it all,” Mills said. “It’s a good community and good people to be around.”