Hildebrand sisters helping put Boise on the map

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The popularity of prep soccer, be it high school or club, is growing throughout the United States and that popularity is growing exponentially in cities like Atlanta, Nashville, and those surrounding areas. Another city that is becoming a hot bed is Boise, Idaho. The scene is growing, the talent is improving and Mackenzie and [player_tooltip player_id='276656' first='Gracen' last='Hildebrand'] are doing their part to help put the Boise scene on the map. The girls are standout players for the Boise Thorns, a club that is on the rise. The scene in Boise will continue to grow and the Thorns will continue becoming a powerful club for girls soccer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Timberline High coach Jarreth Chan, who also knows the girls from working with the Thorns, knows both girls very well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"I really enjoy coaching and training them," Chan said. "They are some of the hardest working players in Boise.&nbsp;They are very coachable, listen to directions well, and they try to execute what they are being told.&nbsp;They are very mature with their mentality and never make excuses for when something doesn't go right.&nbsp;They use that as a learning experience&nbsp;to improve their game.&nbsp;Their commitment is what separates themselves from other players.&nbsp;They always want to train, always want to work, and won't let anything stand in their way from being successful."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='276656' first='Gracen' last='Hildebrand'], Outside Defender/Midfielder/Forward, Class of 2028</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gracen plays for the 2010 ECNL team with the Thorns. She is a left-footed player, who can play pretty much anywhere. Because she is left-footed, she is a weapon as a left outside back or a left wing. She can also play the No. 10. Gracen will feed into Timberline High, where her sister plays, and for now attends East Junior High. She is a very strategic and disciplined player. She is competitive and really loves to play. She is a tactical player, she is a competitor and she really loves to play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Gracen is a funny kid that likes to laugh and have fun. She is a great person that believes in herself, and is confident. She will let you know her opinion and is not afraid to speak up," Chan said. "As an athlete Gracen is very motivated.  he is one of the hardest workers and she is always doing extra private training. She often goes to the park by herself to work on developing her game. She is smaller in size, but plays like she is bigger. She will not back down and will always compete. She is serious on the field and has high expectations of herself.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='74021' first='Mackenzie' last='Hildebrand'], Outside Defender/Midfielder, Class of 2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mackenzie, the elder of the two, played varsity for Chan as a freshman. She is a versatile player as she moved to outside back for the Thorns after playing before as a box-to-box No. 8. Like Gracen, she is a very tactical player. She has a high IQ, she reads the game well, she knows when to step to the ball, when to challenge and when to defend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Mackenzie is very quiet and listens a lot. She is internal and thinks a lot before she speaks about something. She is more reserved and displays her feelings with her actions. Mackenzie is also a great kid, and treats everyone nice," Chan said. "Mackenzie is very athletic. She is fast and quick and uses her speed well. She is very aggressive and is strong physically. She will go in hard for 50-50 ball challenges. She is tough and gritty and Mackenzie is a fighter on the field. She is definitely someone you want on your team."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->