The opposing team passes the soccer ball forward, putting pressure on the defense, but Ava Tabeart ’25 is undeterred. As the striker moves in, Tabeart finds a gap between the player and the ball and rushes to redirect it. In one sliding motion, Tabeart kicks the ball away from her opponent and towards her teammate.

Despite her current skills and dedication as a player, Tabeart actually didn’t aspire to become a soccer player, at least not at first.

“I tried in first grade, and I really hated it,” said Tabeart. “I thought: ‘I’m bad at this. I don’t want to do it every Saturday morning.’”

But she was soon drawn into the pervasiveness of soccer, delighted by the idea that almost anyone could play the sport. By fourth grade, Tabeart was already on a local team, and by ninth grade was playing a key defensive role in the girls varsity soccer team’s deep run in the state tournament.

“We went to the state final. That’s the furthest that this team has ever gone. And so for a freshman to have such a key role ... that is really huge, and really speaks to her maturity and her soccer skills,” said PHS girls soccer Head Coach Meghan Brennan.

However, Tabeart has had her fair share of challenges. Even though soccer is a universal sport, becoming a part of the PHS soccer community was very intimidating at first.

“Freshman year, I had a hard time opening up to people because I was a freshman on the team,” said Tabeart. “I didn’t really know anyone, so it was hard for me to make friends at first. And when you’re not talking to many people, it’s hard to know how you’re doing.”

With that experience in mind, Tabeart has tried to help other players, who, like her, might have had a tough time integrating into the community.

“I try to bring everybody together because I know what it feels like to not feel as included, so I really want to make sure that that’s not the case for anyone,” Tabeart said.

Tabeart’s leadership goes beyond the sport itself, though. She often does tasks that may be tedious to others, like cleaning up after practice or getting water for the team — an integral part of her character that makes her stand out on and off the field.

“She has always brought to the team a positive environment and a warm presence. In addition ... she has always helped keep our back line intact and consistently helped control the gameplay,” teammate Robyn Watchel ’25 said.

She takes inspiration from the professionals, such as the U.S. women’s national soccer team, who have shaped the sport to be more fair and inclusive.

“They’re pretty incredible. They made a big difference politically: equal pay and equal rights,” Tabeart said.

Now, in her fourth and final year at PHS, Tabeart is a cocaptain and continues to be a starting player on the team. She reflects on the skills she gained throughout the years: from beginning as a freshman playing with unfamiliar players, to making split-second decisions to defend the goal during states.

“Patience and confidence are your two biggest allies,” said Tabeart. “Everybody has bad days — you have to be okay with that. For soccer especially, if you make a decision about something, you need to commit to it."