Winkelman ran show for St. Charles North

St. Charles North senior Caitlin Winkelman is The Courier News Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
(Shauna Bittle/Staff Photographer)

Font Size

Email

Bookmark

Black Text

White Text

There were several girls on the St. Charles North soccer team this season that deserved extra attention from opponents.

But, "there was that one girl in the middle that ran the whole show," one area coach said.

She was Caitlin Winkelman, the 2008 Courier News Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

Despite missing the first five games of the season with a quadriceps injury, the center midfielder tallied 11 goals and 10 assists in 19 games as the main facilitator on the area's best team during her senior season. That effort came on the heels of a 19-goal campaign as a junior.

"Caitlin was that player that you would notice among other great players," North Stars coach Ruth Vostal said. "She stood out to me the first day I saw her in tryouts her freshman season. I remember saying that she was going to be something special and she definitely was."

Winkelman and St. Charles North (18-6) finished second behind nationally ranked Waubonsie Valley in the Upstate Eight Conference with a 9-1 mark. The Warriors (26-0-1) were recently crowned undefeated state champs for the second year in a row.

North eventually won regional and sectional titles -- its second in program history -- before ending up on the short end of a 1-0 decision against Waubonsie in overtime for the super-sectional title. Waubonsie knocked off North 2-1 during the regular season.

Winkelman's contributions, albeit a fraction of what they could have been with a full season of action, didn't go unnoticed. For the second straight year the Augustana recruit was an All-UEC pick, while adding All-Sectional and All-State honorable mention accolades.

"We still had a really good season," Winkelman said. "This year's team, across the board, was probably the most balanced I've been on and we've had some good teams since I've been here.

"We thought this was the year we could go really far. We were all heartbroken after the loss (to Waubonsie Valley), but we showed we could play with one of the top teams in the nation."

Winkelman also showed that she could bounce back after an injury and quickly return to a high level of play -- mentally and physically. The quadriceps setback happened in the preseason and the circumstances surrounding the injury seemed harmless. But the side effects were enormous. Winkelman would have to start her senior season rehabbing instead of playing.

"It was tough. I was so excited to get the season started," said Winkelman, an increasingly rare three-sport athlete (volleyball, basketball and soccer). "But it made me realize how much it stinks to sit out. I was so much more grateful to play again."

Once back on the field, it didn't take long for Winkelman to slip right back into the heart of the talented North Stars lineup and pick up where she left off.

Vision, composure with the ball, and winning 50/50 balls, usually via a header, generally set Winkelman apart from others -- all qualities that made her a natural center midfielder. There, she could set up breakaways with defense-splitting passes or get the ball out wide to start attacks from the wing, usually setting up sophomore forwards Paige Dusek or Leah DeMoss.

"Caitlin could distribute the ball as well as anyone in the state," said Vostal, who put Winkelman in the midfield as a junior after two seasons as a successful forward. "She was never rattled or overanxious. She could dominate in the air and she still had a dangerous shot."

Added Winkelman: "At first I was nervous to play in the midfield, but (Vostal) wanted me to try something new. It just took some time getting used to it. I love it now and I wouldn't want to play anywhere else."