WHERE ARE THEY NOW?  

Caroline Leighton is a junior forward at Illinois Wesleyan University 

1.) How old were you when you first played in the PCSL? I started playing in the PCSL when I was 9 years old and entering     fifth grade.  We had just relocated from the 
Washington DC  suburb Silver Spring, Maryland.  While living there, I played in a co-ed league called Calverton Recreation Council starting in first grade.

2.) How many years did you play in the PCSL? I played three years in the PCSL, through the seventh grade.  My decision to stop playing in the PCSL was a combination of factors, 
including the fact that I was getting more involved in junior high school athletics and a travel soccer team.

3.) What did you enjoy best about playing soccer as a child? I just had so much fun playing soccer, and I still do.  I have also made a lot of friends as a result of playing.

4.) What kept you interested in staying with soccer as you grew older? I have always loved playing soccer, so staying with it just made sense. Playing soccer makes me feel good in a way that nothing else can. 

5.) What high school did you play soccer for? I was a four-year member of the Normal Community High School
 varsity soccer team, and I was a captain my senior year.

6.) What coach was most influential in your development as a soccer player? My most influential coach in my development as an athlete was actually my high school basketball coach, Dave Feeney.  He did a great job of teaching me a number of things that I could apply not only to basketball, but also soccer and even life in general.

7.) What position do you currently play? For my college team, I mostly play striker.  But I also play midfield and even in the back as a defender every now and then.  I just go wherever my coach puts me based on what he thinks is best for the team.

8.) What is the best piece of advice that you could give to a coach of a PCSL team?  Don't focus on winning too much.  Make sure that the players are learning the important things   like sportsmanship and teamwork.  They'll take care of the competitive nature on their own.

9.) What is the best piece of advice that you could give to a young PCSL player? Work hard and focus on the things you can control.  If you develop your skills and buy into the team strategy, you're going to find yourself having a lot of success.  But at the end of the day, just have fun.

10.) When did you know that you wanted to play soccer at the collegiate level? I think I've always known.  But I started really thinking about it my junior year of high school.  I knew that I didn't want high school soccer to be my last experience with the game.

11.) What number will you be wearing this season?  Is their any significance to your soccer number? I wear number 23.  My coach gave me this number my freshman year because it is a combination of my soccer and basketball numbers from high school.  In high school, I wore number 3 for soccer and 20 for basketball.  However, my freshman year of college, two seniors had those numbers.

12.) What goals have you set for yourself for this upcoming season? My goals include being a leader on and off the field.  I am one of three captains this year, so being a leader is very important.

13.) If you were PCSL President for a day, what would you do?

MORE ABOUT CAROLINE:
Favorite Soccer Player:  Pele (Brazilian Legend)
Favorite TV Show:  Real World/Road Rules Challenges
Favorite Food:  macaroni and cheese
Favorite Movie:  A Few Good Men
Favorite Book:  The Fred Factor
What's in your CD player right now?:  a mix of oldies music
Living Person you would most like to meet:  Cal Ripken, Jr.
Who would you rather go to lunch with; David Beckham or Posh Spice?: David Beckham