Preps: Wilkinson's unselfish play leads Chaparral

Generous to a fault

In her four season as a starter for Chaparral's girls soccer team, senior Amanda Wilkinson truly has become a player coaches dream about.

The Cowboys' center midfielder is one of the quickest players in town, possesses a keen field vision and can take over a critical game when necessary.

And that's not even mentioning the intangibles, like the leadership qualities that allow Chaparral coach Dan Schell to count on Wilkinson as a sort of coach on the field.

In fact, Schell's only criticism of his star midfielder is one not often uttered by high school soccer coaches these days.

"She's a little too unselfish at times, and that can be frustrating," Schell said. "I constantly have to tell her she's successful when she shoots."

Wilkinson knows she's successful when she passes. Her 13 assists easily led all area players during the season's first half and are a big reason the Cowboys are in the thick of a tight Sunrise Division race with an 8-2-0 league record.

And while Wilkinson acknowledges she probably should look for her own shot more, she knows her unselfish style has served her well during her nine years of soccer.

"I try to look for my teammates and get them involved," Wilkinson said. "I look for the options around me. There are 11 of us, and we all need to work together."

This year, Wilkinson and her teammates are working together toward a common goal -- returning to the 4A Southern Zone championship for the first time since 1996, when the Cowboys lost to Bishop Gorman in Wilkinson's freshman season.

"Being a freshman, I didn't know it was such a big deal," Wilkinson said. "Now, as a senior, I realize what a big accomplishment it was and how much work it was."

Schell, who took over head coaching duties the year after Chaparral's trip to the title game, immediately noticed Wilkinson's tendency toward leadership, both on and off the field.

"She's been in charge out there since she was a sophomore," he said. "It makes your day so much easier when you have someone who can help with demonstrations during practice or be an example to other players."

"It just came naturally," Wilkinson said. "I just saw how I could help the team. I've always wanted to be in a leadership role so I could help my teammates."

Since moving from left wing to center midfielder three years ago, Wilkinson has also been helping her teammates with a rare combination of speed, strength and skill with the ball at her feet.

"She's always had the ability to change the outcome of a game," Schell said. "When she's having a good game, it radiates throughout the entire team."

"I love being in the middle," Wilkinson said. "It's a demanding role, and I love being around the ball all the time."

Now, the four Chaparral seniors who played on the Cowboys' zone runner-up team four years ago -- midfielder Jennifer Fahrney, sweeper Cassy Salazar, stopper Cindy Thompson and Wilkinson -- are hoping their high school careers can come full circle with a return to the championship.

And Wilkinson, for one, has supreme confidence her squad can achieve its goal.

"We work really hard in practice, and we're always striving to do our very best," she said. "I think we can get there."

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