VA Players to Watch – Richmond’s Hidden Gems

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The leaves will start to change colors soon. If you're in VA, you're already dressing for at least two seasons on any given day. Your thermostat is getting messed with by your kids more now than at any other time of the year!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It can only mean one thing - Fall ECNL, ECNL-RL, and NPL soccer is underway!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>PrepSoccer Roddy has attended games at the Blue Ridge Cup and the early league games of the year in RVA and it is time to start to bring you some players to look out for as the season progresses. Part 1 will focus on Richmond Kickers girls players that will look to lead their squads into the postseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":148008,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Haley Baskerville","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"102","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Midlothian High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"2007 Richmond Kickers Elite Red","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"First up, Haley Baskerville. This midfield maestro is an importance piece in her squad's attack. Haley shows great vision, anticipation, and knowledge of her teammates' tendencies. She is great at playing people into space, playing dangerous balls on set pieces, and scanning the field before she receives the ball to take her first touch into the right area. Her high soccer IQ and awareness make it seem like she is never in a rush, playing the game at her own pace, and pulling all the strings for her team. Baskerville assisted the lone goal in her team's 1-0 win over Beach FC in the opening weekend of the ECNL RL Virginia season. There may or may not be a video of it later in this article.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-650900448c1ca"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Sasha Manheim","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"102","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Cosby High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"2005/06 Richmond Kickers Elite Red","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Next on our list is Sasha Manheim, a U19 Kicker. A tough midfielder that controls the game with her great defensive positioning and accurate passing. Sasha never lets her opponents midfield get comfortable, delivering strong tackles. On attack, Manheim rarely gives the ball away, and makes sure to move the ball quickly. She has a good understanding of when to play the ball backwards to keep possession, and when the counter attack is primed to go. The U19 Elite Red Kickers team is in the middle of the table early in the season, looking to make a move up.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-650900448c2c7"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":148236,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='222445' first='Alyssa' last='Pulliam']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"102","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Midlothian High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"2007 Richmond Kickers Elite Red","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Third on this list is Aly Pulliam, Baskerville's midfield partner. Pulliam is a dynamic midfielder that is always looking to put pressure on the opposing defense. She is a constant threat because of her great mix of skill. She can dribble by defenders, play passes short and long with both feet, shoot from distance, and make piercing runs after connecting on short passes. Even when she does not score, Pulliam draws defenders to open up play elsewhere for her teammates.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-650900448c39c"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='219725' first='Bridget' last='Martin']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"103","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Monacan High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"2007 Richmond Kickers Elite Red","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"I listed [player_tooltip player_id='219725' first='Bridget' last='Martin'] as a forward, but depending on what her coach needs from her/what formation her team is currently in, she can be found in any wide position on the field as well. Her versatility is a product of a good understanding of the game, and a well developed skill tree. Bridget has a strong work rate and soft touch on the ball. She uses a tricky change of pace to get by defenders and create chances in the attacking third. Defensively, Martin's motor drives her to win possession more often than not, and to make opposing players work a little quicker than they would like to.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-650900448c464"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/fR32v0LiMrg","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/fR32v0LiMrg </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2007 Richmond Kickers Elite Red girls opened up league play with a 1-0 win over Beach FC. The lone goal in the video above was a set piece played into the box by Haley Baskerville, and finished off with a picture perfect header by another standout player from this team, [player_tooltip player_id='140779' first='Kendall' last='Funk'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->