Rising Stars: Jada Dachtler ’22 & Makenna Vonderhaar ’22
After playing soccer for most of their lives, Jada Dachtler and Makenna Vonderhaar are capping off their freshman years by playing on West High’s varsity soccer team.
Jada Dachtler ’22 passes the ball to Hannah Cantrell ’19 during the second half on Tuesday, April 9.
April 15, 2019
Jada Dachtler ’22:
WSS: When did you start playing soccer?
JD: “I started playing soccer when I was five, and at that time I played softball and danced too. I was kind of just trying out sports, but then I got into soccer when I was ten because a friend asked me to come try out for a club team.”
WSS: What different teams have you played on?
JD: “I played on Iowa Soccer Club (ISC) for five years and then I recently started playing on Cedar River Soccer Association (CRSA). I’ve also played on Olympic Development Program (ODP) for five years.”
WSS: What are some of your favorite memories from soccer all these years?
JD: “Just having fun at tournaments with my teammates. That’s usually when we really bond and stuff, so that’s always fun.”
WSS: What have been some of the most important factors in your improvement over the years?
JD: “How much my coaches push me. [They] have pushed me by always expecting me to work my hardest.”
WSS: Who are some of your biggest mentors right now?
JD: “I love Alex Morgan and watching her play. My favorite coach right now is my personal trainer, Haris [Hadzalic]. He’s helped me a lot.”
WSS: Can you tell me about your personal training experiences?
JD: “I started practicing with my personal trainers in November of 2017 [at] Total Elite Soccer Training and there are three coaches. I train there once or twice a week, and they have helped me a lot.”
WSS: Do you feel any pressures going into your first year on West High soccer?
JD: “I think practicing with everybody will be really fun, but I don’t feel any more pressure than I already put on myself from other people. I think it will be good.”
WSS: What are your looking forward to about your first year playing with West?
JD: “I’m excited to bond with the team and hang out with them; we’ve already gone for a team breakfast after training. I’m also excited to go to games because they’ll be really fun and competitive.”
Makenna Vonderhaar ’22:
WSS: When did you start playing soccer?
MV: “I started playing soccer when I was seven or eight. My parents signed me up for all the sports as a kid, and that’s the one I liked the most.”
WSS: What different teams have you played on?
MV: “I’ve played on club [with ISC], [recreation league] and ODP.”
WSS: What are some of your favorite memories from soccer all these years?
MV: “Just hanging out with my team is probably the biggest one, because soccer has been the way that I’ve found most of my friends. So it’s been really fun to just be with my friends every night practicing.”
WSS: What have been some of the most important factors in your improvement over the years?
MV: “At first I was really not good at soccer and there were a lot of people on my team that were better than me. Wanting to be better was just the biggest thing. I just wanted to be better and go to more practices.”
WSS: Who are some of your biggest mentors right now?
MV: “My coaches are probably my biggest ones because they know how to play and really care about making you better. Also my parents because they’re committed and bring me to all of the practices and are really supportive.”
WSS: Do you feel any pressures going into your first year on West High soccer?
MV: “I feel like I just have to work harder now and keep up a good work ethic.”
WSS: What are your looking forward to about your first year playing with West?
MV: “I’m excited to make new friends because I think that’s a big part of being on a team. I’m excited to play with my sister, that’s a big one. I’m just really excited to play on a team that’s outside of my club team.”
