After an offseason of reconstruction, Oak Park and River Forest High School’s girls varsity soccer team is ready to make. a statement. The team is prepared to show their competition the skills they are capable of under their new head coach, Lauren Zallis.

During the team’s offseason, former head coach Christie Johnson stepped down from her position as the head coach after being a part of the team for six seasons.

Nicole Ebsen, the athletic director of OPRF, expressed her excitement about the hiring of Zallis as the new head coach. Ebsen believes Zallis stands out because “her experience as a player and coach at many levels will help in the transition to leading the program.” Ebsen said Zallis’ background and dedication make her the perfect person for the job. Although Zallis is new to the OPRF program, she is no stranger to soccer. Starting at age 7, Zallis fell in love with the sport. From the moment she first kicked the ball, she was hooked. She recalls moving three times in her childhood, saying that soccer was her way of meeting new people.

“Playing a game naturally lent itself to forming relationships with my teammates and as a shy kid, I credit soccer to making friends,” Zallis said. Soccer was her escape, she said, whether it be from bad news or a failed exam. Being on the pitch was her safe space.

Zallis is originally from Lockport, Illinois and formerly played Division I soccer at Northern Arizona University. During her freshman year, she was named a starter for 17 of the 22 games played. As an upperclassman, she was named captain for her last two years of college. Being captain made her develop great leadership skills that she implemented in her coaching, she said.

Although Zallis shone on the pitch throughout her collegiate career, during her sophomore year she suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Even with the disheartening end of her season, she said, “I can now look back and say that this experience made me a better teammate, and a better leader.”

Not only did she dominate in soccer, but with her time at Northern Arizona University, Zallis earned her master’s degree in sports psychology due to her interest in helping athletes recognize the mental side of the game.

After playing at NAU, Zallis took her knowledge of soccer and invested it into being a coach at the high school and collegiate levels. She worked for schools such as Beacon Academy, Dominican University, Elk Grove High School and Roosevelt University.

She is now bringing her expertise to the OPRF girl’s soccer program. Her interest in becoming a coach stemmed from her favorite coaches. She respected their ability to “practice what they preached’’ and how they led by example. She implements this in her coaching as well as she is inspired by the methods of Carlo Ancelotti, the most decorated manager in UEFA Champions League history.

As a coach, she finds it important to view her plays as people and not just players. Ancelotti does the same. She said, “his recognition of the person before the player creates a relationship that builds trust and mutual respect.”

As the Huskies prepare to start their season under new management, they have a set of goals in place. Senior Lilah Malik shared her excitement for the upcoming season. “Our main focus this season is to build a relationship with Coach Zallis. Building a good relationship will make everything else fall into place,” she said.

Malik explains that even under a new coach, the team’s overall goals remain the same. Mirroring previous years, the team is working hard in hopes of making it to state. They are still preparing to put their best foot forward into the season. As the season approaches, be sure to be on the lookout for the Huskie girl’s soccer.