Area soccer players compete in Post Your Talent All-Star game

By DAN SHELTON

Sports Writer

ROACHDALE -- Success.

Some players measure it their win-loss record while some measure it by the amount of points or goals that they had scored. But for some, success isn't measured by the wins or losses their team had or by the amount of points or goals that they scored. It is measured by their achievements after the season, like it was for a trio of soccer players from North Putnam.

Brandon Volland, Elsiana Crosby and Laura McGaughey will be playing in the Post your Talent East vs West All-Star Soccer games at Crawfordsville High School on Saturday.

Volland will be the goalie for the West team in the Class 2A game at 4 p.m. while Crosby and McGaughey will play in the 1A/2A game 10 a.m.

"I think it's an honor and I look forward to represent the North Putnam soccer program and the county," Volland said.

Volland, who didn't take over as goalie for the Cougars till the sixth game of the season, amassed 276 saves this past season and even though he had a successful season in front of the net, Volland said he was still surprised that he was picked.

"Honestly, at first I didn't believe it," Volland said. "I thought it was a practical joke but now its surreal and it's a great honor."

Volland said that he is hoping to use this experience to help him in his career and push him over the edge into the colligate level.

"I'm going to use this game to gauge my skill level against other all-stars in this sport. I want to use this as a pedestal to get me over the edge that I am at now and into the collegiate level," Volland said.

But overall Volland is just happy to be playing soccer again.

"It's just going to be nice to play soccer with a bunch of people that are serious about the sport and are either on or above the skill level that I am."

For Crosby and McGaughey, playing in this all-star game is just icing on the cake.

Coming off a not-so-good season, the girls were still happy with their season and when they found out that they were on the all-star team -- they could hardly believe it.

"I didn't think that a girl from the North Putnam soccer team could make an all-star team and here we are," McGaughey said.

"This is the best soccer year that I have ever had," Crosby said. "I was a senior captain and that was an honor this season.

"It was also fun to play with all the younger players and show that just because we are from North Putnam and are a smaller school, doesn't mean we just lay down and die for anyone," Crosby said.

Both of the girls said that they couldn't believe that were picked for the team.

"I was totally surprised," McGaughey said.

"I was looking through the roster with our coach because I wanted to see who made the team and when I thought I saw Laura and Dakota Malayer names on it, I thought to myself that was really cool and then I saw my name on their second from the last and I just freaked out," Crosby said. "I'm just honored to be on the team and to get a chance to play.

"And not to just play but knowing that I was chosen as one of the better ones to play," Crosby said. "It's just awesome."

Malayer, the Cougars goalie this year, was also chosen to play with Crosby and McGaughey but will not be able to play due to SAT testing.

McGaughey said that she is really excited to play in this game.

"I've never played in an all-star game before so I'm just excited," McGaughey said. "I'm just hoping to meet some people and make some new friends that like to play soccer."

Crosby, who could be described as the more confident and relaxed one of the team, said that she really didn't know what to feel.

"I've kind of have mixed emotions about playing the game," Crosby said. "To be honest, I'm a little nervous. But if I've been chosen, then I must be at that level to play."

Note: Two players from the Greencastle boys' soccer team made the roster for the 3A team, Luke Smith and Nate Jones.

Jones will not be taking part in the game due to personal reasons and Smith was unavailable at press time.