Athlete Spotlight: James Wood soccer player Maddie Heustis

James Wood High School 16-year-old junior

Sport: Soccer. Positions: Center midfielder or center back

Parents: Carrie and Phil Heustis

Hometown: Winchester

What do you love about soccer?: The competitiveness, and having so many friends on the team. Being able to be coached by someone that you respect and being part of something.

Most memorable moment in soccer: Definitely winning the regional semifinals this year. (James Wood beat 2022 state champion Broad Run 2-1 in double overtime to earn the program’s first state tournament berth. Broad Run took a 1-0 lead in the first overtime.) No other girls’ team (in Winchester-Frederick soccer history) has won that game to advance to the state tournament. It was a really hard game, definitely. And I think we all kind of rallied together to kind of just make history and have a really good season. When Maddie Shirley got that second goal [to end the game], I remember we all just went into a dogpile, and it was really cool. I’ve never experienced something like that.

Most embarrassing moment in soccer: A couple years ago when I was on my travel team [Blue Ridge United] and I was defending a crossed ball. I accidentally caught it in my hands, and then the other team got a free kick and scored. My teammates still make fun of me for it.

Most difficult moment in soccer: Just having to accept that you’re not going to be 100 percent every day. You’re going to have off days. Just knowing that no matter what your performance is, you’re always important to your team. You’re always an asset. You’ve got to keep the team going.

People you can have dinner with, dead or alive: [Singer] Harry Styles; because I just love him. He’s definitely influenced me a lot throughout high school and helped me kind of express myself better and find myself more. Ms. Melissa [Baker]; she’s an older family friend that I haven’t seen in a couple years. I really love her, and she’s really easy to talk to and fun to hang around. She used to live with us when I was younger but she moved to Oklahoma about 10 years ago. I still keep in contact with her. And my full family in general; I’m the youngest of four. My other three siblings [Mason, Conner and Brianna] have moved out and kind of created their own families, so I think it would be nice to have us all together for a little bit.

Biggest athletic influence: My friend [and James Wood soccer teammate] McKenna Newcome. She’s definitely non-stop with school and all of her athletic endeavors that she’s accomplished. She’s a very decorated player but she’s still very humble. She’s very easy to get along with, and she’s an amazing person.

Favorite teacher: [James Wood’s] Mr. [William] Henderson. I had him my sophomore year for chemistry. He’s pretty brutally honest, so you can get good advice from him. He’s not just going to sugarcoat it. I can always trust that his door’s open. We’ve had some very good conversations.

Favorite athlete: [U.S. soccer player] Rose Lavelle

Favorite team: U.S. women’s national soccer team

Favorite movie: “La La Land”

Favorite TV show: “Ted Lasso”

Favorite song: “Conversations in the Dark” by John Legend

Favorite food: Dumplings

Worst thing you’ve ever eaten: Frog legs

Plans after high school: For the most part I’m undecided, but I am pretty interested in psychology and the athletic world. So maybe a sports psychologist or something. I just think it’s cool to know why people are so different, and what their upbringing changes about each person, and just the difference between nature vs. nurture. I think that’s really interesting.

— Compiled by Robert Niedzwiecki