Emily Taber loves spending summers in Wildwood.
But she’s also looking forward to getting back to business.
That’s not to say Taber is all fun and games during her summer months. She has a job down the shore, and also works on conditioning. However she is really enjoying the beach and the boardwalk fun.
Still, it’s almost time to go back to work.
Taber is a senior at St. Hubert High School and the starting center midfielder on the Bambies’ soccer team. That team made history last year by bringing the Catholic League championship back to the school, and Taber has big plans for this year.
“Everyone is working hard, trying to get in shape,” said Taber, who lives in Port Richmond. “I’m down the shore so I’m working out on my own. I run the seawall or run on the boardwalk. It’s a lot of fun, you can get sidetracked really easy, but I’m running a lot.
“You have to keep up with it. We know we have to come in, in the best shape. We’re all working hard.”
That effort will be necessary this year because the Bambies are no longer the up-and-comers. They’re now the defending champions and with that plaque they earned last year by knocking off Archbishop Wood in the championship game came with a target.
Every team will now be gunning for Hubert, the defending Catholic League champion, and that will be a big change from last year.
“I think last year we were the underdogs, nobody expected us to win,” Taber said. “Now I feel like teams are going to give it their all since we are the champions. That’s fun. You want to play everyone at their best. When we would play Wood, we would try hard because they were good. Now we’re the team everyone wants to win.”
The Bambies are the defending champs, but the team has lost a lof of the stars from last year. According to Taber, last year’s team had a huge senior presence and those girls have graduated, leaving spots both on the field and in the leadership department.
Taber has been a starter since sophomore year, but she’s ready to do whatever she can to make sure the Bambies are back in the mix for her final campaign.
“When I was a sophomore, we had great captains who helped a lot and pushed us through every game,” Taber said. “We had great leaders last year, too. I’ll try to help the younger girls this year because I know that can definitely make a difference. All of the older girls help when things are hard. We have to be positive and push each other through the hard times. It worked last year and we learned from that.”
Taber hopes to be a better leader this year, she also wants to help players on the field.
Last year she saw time in the midfield and at striker. This year, she’s going to primarily be the team’s center midfield, which means she will be responsible for once again putting her teammates in position to succeed.
It’s a role she’s not only good at, it’s one she loves.
“I like playing center mid because you can be a playmaker and help people score,” Taber said. “Last year I had a good amount of assists and I took a lot of corners. That’s mainly my job, getting other people the ball and setting them up. I like that role, I love helping people.”
Heading into her senior year, defending the Catholic League championship is at the top of Taber’s to-do list, but she’s also going to be quite busy handling other things.
She also plays lacrosse, where she’s a defender. That’s a sport she enjoys, and it does a great job of keeping her in shape for her main sport, soccer.
Taber will also serve on the student council this year and is a member of the Women Supporting Women Club, a group she’s happy she signed up for.
“Last year we would write cards to women who were abused, we do a lot of different stuff. I just liked it so I signed up for it. It was really nice, I like helping people. I loved doing it.”
She will also help people beyond high school.
After she graduates, she plans on majoring in nursing. She’s unsure if she’ll continue her soccer career.
“I like it because it helps people,” Taber said. “I like being there for people when they need it. A lot of people see people being sick and you feel sorry for them. But it’s good to be the one helping them. You can make a big difference.”
Now she just wants to make a difference for the Bambies.
Another title is the ultimate goal, but she just wants to have a fun senior season.
“I want to win again,” Taber said. “I would love to have a good team, like a really close team. A really close team like we had last year. Last year we were like sisters. A lot of our starting players graduated, but the girls coming in know how close our bond is, so I’m excited.” ••
