“When I was 11,” Yates said, “I wrote down some goals in a little book with my dad, and this was one of my goals. I literally wrote down, ‘I want to play soccer at the University of Washington.’ So for me to finally be here and playing, it’s a dream come true.
“This is such a fun team to be on, and so far I love everything about it,” she said. “All the girls are really competitive, but it’s also a great family atmosphere.”
Though Holmes has done more watching than practicing in recent weeks due to her ongoing recovery, she believes the jump from high school soccer to college is not unlike going from club soccer to the national-team pool.
“Washington is such a big name and it’s one of the schools that has so much history behind it, so the competition here is just as high as the U.S (youth teams),” Holmes said. “If you think about it, the Pac-12 has many of the same players you play with at the U.S. level, so to me it’s just as big of a deal.
“I always watched college soccer growing up and it was always my dream to play Division 1,” she went on. “So now that it’s finally happening for me, it’s just as big of an emotional piece; goose bumps everywhere, (the thrill of) wearing the jersey and playing that first game, as it was for me with any U.S. team.”
Yates, a 5-foot-4 forward, immediately found a place in Washington’s starting lineup this season.
What stands out, Gallimore said, “is her technical ability with ball. Summer is crafty, skilled and perceptive. She has a calmness to her at a young age, and that’s going to serve her well. She’s very calming on the ball, and that’s something in the midfield where you want players leading the game. She can slow it down when we need to and she can speed it up when we need to. She has a lot of ability to make an impact on the game.”
Holmes, meanwhile, will be eased back into action in the coming weeks. A 5-8 defender, she will likely become a fixture on Washington’s back line.
“I’ve seen Shae play quite a bit over the years, and she has great strength, great size and good speed,” Gallimore said. “She’s also a leader and a good voice on the field. She reads the game very well, and she’s a pretty good player with the ball. On both sides of the ball, she’s going help us have a solid back line and then be a threat to attack.”