Webb City senior Avery Allen has spent most of her life with a soccer ball at her feet, and this spring she is determined to make her final high school season her best one yet.​

Allen, a senior for the Cardinals, began playing soccer at age 5, working her way from recreational leagues to multiple club teams over the years. Along the way, she found a professional role model in Kansas City Current forward Michelle Cooper, whose energy and attacking style she admires.​

At Webb City, Allen has grown into a dependable presence and a voice that teammates look to on and off the field. “Something I enjoy most about being a member of this team is being able to lead, help, and push each other to be the best we can all be, as well as making sure to have fun,” Allen said. She said the toughest position on the field is outside mid because of the physical and mental demands that come with covering so much ground. “You have to be strong both physically and mentally because it’s the position that requires you to be the most fit,” she said.​

Allen also credits the people around her for shaping who she is. She points first to her mom as a daily example of character and work ethic. “She is a good example for me to follow and the character she displays is something that I strive to be like,” Allen said. “She is also one of the hardest working people I know.”​

In the classroom, Allen’s favorite subject is communication arts, and she points to biology teacher Mrs. Fisher as one of her favorite staff members for the way she pushes students while showing she cares deeply for them.​

Allen said athletics have taught her perseverance and how to respond when things do not go her way. “Picking yourself back up and continuing to push yourself to be your best is a good lesson soccer has taught me, along with never giving up,” she said. She also carries lessons from former teammate Riley Whitehead, who she said was a standout leader and mentor when Allen was an underclassman.