As Wall steps down, former Ranger steps up to take over JV girls soccer

As the 2021 school year begins its prior normalcy, athletes have been able to participate and compete within their desired sports. Among recent athletic discussion, the soccer season is getting started for the 2021-2022 school year.

This year, a familiar face returns to Redwood High School to coach JV girls soccer, as the previous coach is stepping down from her position.

For the past nine seasons, Coach Victoria Wall has been the JV girls soccer coach at Redwood High School. Before coaching at Redwood, she also coached a varsity program for five seasons in Southern California. Wall also teaches Physical Education, Sports Medicine, and is the LINK Crew advisor here at Redwood.

In the foreseeable future, Wall hopes to obtain a position tied to coaching soccer in Australia, which is where she is planning to move with her husband. Coaching is something that is in-mind as she takes the next step in her life.

Wall hopes to move in the summer of 2023, although it depends when the immigration department will approve of her application.

“Hopefully, I’ll be able to slide right into a program somewhere. I do want to teach when I’m there, so fingers-crossed,” Wall says.

Moving away from a place, a team that she’s been a part of definitely is “bittersweet.”

“It was something that was time for me to kind of let go of my attachments but still be able to enjoy the game from the sidelines before we are actually able to move because we can’t move just yet.”

Victory after victory, JV girls soccer at Redwood has constantly been victorious. The guidance and effort Wall has enforced within the teams she’s coached for the past nine seasons has implicated a total of under 20 losses. The maximum losses in a season was two games. The rest of the seasons? Undefeated.

Besides the factor of attending games or winning, soccer has always been a big part of Wall’s life.

She says, “I grew up playing soccer, I played in college- as soon as I graduated I started coaching right away, it’s always been something that defined me and so stepping down, I’m kind of transitioning to the next stage of what defines me as a teacher.”

Having led nine seasons, Wall had many different responses to what she would miss the most. The ideals of having this position, for her, is being able to share her soccer knowledge with the girls and show that there are different ways to approach playing the game.

Wall reassures that, “it’s nice to win, but it’s not all about winning.”

Being the JV girls soccer coach for many seasons, Wall’s come to realize that the girls’ overall improvement and enjoyment of the game is when she knows she’s done her job, “I think a little bit of that I’m going to miss, just not being there with them, but I’m going to go and watch their games, so it’ll be alright.”

Though the transition is hard, Wall adds, “It was just kind of time for me personally. But I love the game and I love coaching, and so not being out here is just hard.” 

The most memorable moments have been influenced by the bond formed with the girls.

“I work them really hard, but I do it to make them better; I think once they get to know me they understand that. But it’s the lifelong connections where, ‘Hey! You were my favorite coach’ or ‘I had a lot of fun with you when we were out on the field together.'”

Coach Victoria Wall expressing her fondest memories throughout her seasons

The consecutive successes Wall has led throughout her nine seasons now comes to an end. With her absence, a new coach, Brooklyn Morris, is re-welcomed to the Ranger community.

Returning Ranger, Brooklyn Morris, couldn’t get enough of Redwood High School. Being an alumni, her return has risen confidence in leadership, especially from former coach, Victoria Wall:

“Brooklyn played here before and so I know her, not just as an athlete, but as a person. I think she’s going to do great with the kids. She’s a lot of fun, she knows a lot of stuff, and she’s kind of just walking the same path that I did when I was her age. I am really looking forward to seeing her succeed and get the same experience that I’ve had over the years.”

Former coach, Victoria Wall in regards to new coach, Brooklyn Morris

Eager to begin the soccer season, Morris doesn’t have any concerns for what is to come. Similar to most local high schools, soccer is also beginning early in the Valley.

“Everyone wants to be the best and get the work in early,” adds Morris.

Morris’ high school education came from Redwood, as she also played on the Redwood soccer team. Both of her parents had attended and graduated in the 90s, while she graduated in 2016.

Similar to Wall, Morris has always had a strong interest in the sport, like her soccer-loving family. At the age of about two or three years-old, Morris’ family started her on a co-ed YMCA team.

From fourth grade to senior year, she played for the South Valley United club team, along with a variety of other clubs originated throughout California.

During her time at Redwood, she played on varsity all four years and was coached by the present varsity coach, Coach Jason Vieira.

For college, she was offered scholarships to play soccer, and eventually ended up choosing a small private school located in Lake Tahoe.

Morris attended Sierra Nevada University, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Marketing.

Now, she attends Grand Canyon University, online, while working towards a Masters degree in Forensic Psychology. 

Seeing some familiar faces definitely raises the nostalgia of being back on the Redwood soccer field- Maddy Messier (varsity assistant coach) who played at Redwood with Morris, and Bri Martinho (JV assistant coach) who played club soccer with Morris.

The thrill of returning back to the field has brought a plentiful amount of excitement throughout.

“I’m excited to watch the girls improve each and every day. This group of girls seem competitive and driven, that’s something you cannot really coach, so I’m eager to work with them.”

Coach Brooklyn Morris on this year’s soccer season

As try-outs recently began, Morris felt there was a “lot of talent for both varsity and JV.”

Decisions are still in the making, although she is confident in regards to the girls she witnessed at try-outs.

Progressing as a team is a goal of Morris; to be able to coach a team that is driven and excited to begin.

Considering the streak that has been continued for so many soccer seasons, Morris expresses her efforts into inspiring the girls for this season.

“I plan on pushing the girls to their limits and winning as many games as we can. I want these girls to be the strongest team both mentally and physically. We will be improving every day and continuing [the] winning streak,” Morris states.

The Redwood girls soccer teams’ home-opener will be on November 30 facing Tulare Union. JV and varsity play times are to be determined.

Tags: Brooklyn Morris, Donya Hassanshahi, girls soccer, JV soccer, new coach, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, Redwood Soccer, redwood sports, soccer varsity, Victoria Wall