Eliza Payne Feature

OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS I WILL BE LOOKING AT THE SENIORS WHO MAKE UP THIS GREAT AREA AND SHARING THEIR STORIES. IN TODAY’S SENIOR SPOTLIGHT I TAKE A LOOK AT ONE OF THE CODY FILLIES SOCCER PLAYERS, ELIZA PAYNE. ELIZA AND THE FILLIES HAD THEIR EYES SET ON A FOURTH STRAIGHT STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SEASON WAS CANCELLED. I CAUGHT UP WITH ELIZA AND SHE SHARES WHAT HER INITIAL REACTION WAS WHEN SHE FOUND OUT THEIR WOULD BE NO SPRING SPORTS SEASON.

“REALLY SHOCKING. WE KNEW THAT IT COULD HAPPEN BUT IT DIDN’T SEEM REAL UNTIL WE GOT THE OFFICIAL NEWS. I CRIED A LOT BUT THE LONGER THAT IT HAS BEEN NOW KNOWING THAT WE’RE NOT HAVING A SEASON, THE MORE GRATEFUL I’VE BEEN FOR THE TIME THAT I’VE HAD WITH THIS TEAM. AND OUR COACH MARIAN MIEARS, SHE’S JUST BEEN SO GREAT. I’M JUST HAPPY THAT I GOT THE EXPERIENCES THAT I DID. IT’S BEEN A LITTLE BIT EASIER.”

ONE OF THE REASONS THE FILLIES WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE A STATE TITLE THREE PEAT AND HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN FOUR IN A ROW WAS THE CAMARADERIE OF THIS GROUP OF GIRLS. ELIZA EXPLAINS WHY THEY WERE SO GREAT.

“I’VE COME UP WITH THESE GIRLS THROUGH REC SOCCER, STARTING IN KINDERGARTEN AND THEN GOING INTO FIRE SOCCER, LIKE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AGES. SO WE’VE ALL BEEN TOGETHER FOR SO LONG AND OUR TEAM DYNAMIC IS JUST AMAZING. WE KNOW HOW EACH OTHER PLAYS SO WELL AND WE CAN JUST REALLY WORK TOGETHER WHICH HAS HELPED US BE THAT MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL.”

AND SHE GOES ON TO SHARE HER FAVORITE MEMORY OF PLAYING FOR THE FILLY SOCCER PROGRAM.

“WE HAVE THIS BOOK THAT WE READ FROM. BEFORE EVERY GAME WE READ A CHAPTER. IT’S A SOCCER BOOK AND IT’S ABOUT ATTACKING OR WINNING. JUST LIKE DIFFERENT MINDSETS THAT YOU GET IN BEFORE THE GAME. SO WE’D ALL JUST SIT TOGETHER IN A CIRCLE, READ A CHAPTER OF THIS BOOK, GET PUMPED FOR THE GAME AND THEN GO OUT AND WIN. AT STATE, BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE’D READ THE CHAPTERS AND THEN WE’D WRITE THE PHRASE OF THE CHAPTER ON OUR ARMS, ALL TOGETHER, WHICH JUST REALLY SHOWS A UNITED FRONT AND BRINGS US TOGETHER AND IT’S SO FUN.”

WHILE SHE WON’T BE GOING TO COLLEGE TO PLAY SPORTS ELIZA LAYS OUT HER FUTURE PLANS.

“RIGHT NOW I’M PLANNING ON GOING TO REXBURG. MY MAJOR HOPEFULLY WILL BE IN RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES,” SAYS ELIZA. ELIZA GOES ON TO EXPLAIN WHAT PEAKS HER INTEREST IN THAT FIELD. “I THINK THAT I’M FASCINATED WITH IT BECAUSE I STILL GET TO WORK OUTSIDE BUT ALSO IN THE WORK SPACE THE JOB OFFERS. THAT’LL BE GOOD FOR ME TO NOT ALWAYS JUST BE IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER OR SOMETHING. AND I THINK THAT IT IS SUPER INTERESTING TO LEARN ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND HOW WE’RE USING OUR RESOURCES AND WHAT’S STILL AVAILABLE TO US, ESPECIALLY IN WYOMING, LIKE COAL AND OIL.”

AND ELIZA GOES ON TO SHARE HER FINAL THOUGHTS OF BEING A PART OF CODY ATHLETICS.

“ITS JUST BEEN SUPER GREAT. THE SPORTS ACTIVITIES, THE DIRECTORS LIKE TONY HULT AND LEIGH (TUTEN), THEY’RE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THE SPORTS TEAMS THAT THEY DIRECT AND ALL THE TEAMS IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL ARE SO CLOSE I FEEL LIKE. IT’S JUST SUCH A GREAT ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERYBODY TO BE IN.”

STAY TUNED TO THE BIG HORN RADIO NETWORK FOR MORE SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS AND IF YOU ARE A SENIOR ATHLETE OR THE PARENT OF A SENIOR ATHLETE IN THE SURROUNDING AREA THAT HAD THEIR SPORTS SEASON CUT SHORT AND WOULD LIKE YOUR STORY SHARED PLEASE EMAIL ME AT SPORTS@BHRNWY.COM.