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Johnston is the Heart and Soul of Mount Mercy Soccer

by cnewman

Isobel Johnston did whatever was asked of her at MMA.
Isobel Johnston did whatever was asked of her at MMA.

With players like Rebecca Alvira, Jackie Kane and Madeline Parisi on the team, it is easy to overlook someone like Isobel Johnston.

But, Mt. Mercy Academy soccer coach John Glose isn't one of them. Glose knows the value of a player like Johnston.

Johnston, a senior, does whatever is ask of her. Whether it is playing defense, midfield or at forward, Johnston just wants to get on the pitch and help her team win games.

"I love playing," she said, after their semifinal loss to Nichols School. "I would do anything to be out there. I just wanted to do whatever I could to help the team."

Her team first attitude is what made Johnston one of the captains. She was a big reason why the Magic had one of its best season in years - finishing fourth in the Monsignor Martin Athletic Association Large School Division.

The Magic won nine games before falling to Nichols, 3-0, in the semifinals held last weekend.

She credits Glose and his staff for making her the kind of player she is today.

"I know working with John he taught us to always work hard and never give up," she said. "There were limits that I thought I had that he would push me past. They taught me to push myself."

With the season coming to an end, it was time to say goodbye to the soccer family that she has known for the past four years.

"Every year it has been a family," Johnston said. "And I am really going to miss it."

What the Magic is going to miss is a young girl who has given everything she has to the team. Even in their game against the Vikings, a less that 100 percent Johnston still willed herself to give it everything she had - coming off the field at one point with tears in her eyes because of the pain she was feeling.

That right there is the type of player Glose and the Magic will have to replace.

"This is definitely the best team I've had in the last four years," stated Glose. "A lot of credit goes to the seniors and their leadership. I'm sad for them, but they all had really good careers."

The career is not over just yet for Johnston as she hopes to play soccer when she goes to college next fall.

"I'm probably going to go to college in South Carolina," Johnston said. "I know I am going to play intramural soccer. But, I am not going to stop playing - because I don't think I could."

"Mount Mercy has positively changed my life forever. Through the inviting community, I was able to grow as a woman, as a daughter, as a friend, and as a member of society. Throughout my time here I have gained an education in both academic areas and life in general through the school's ongoing efforts to educate students on gender inequality, racial injustice, and environmental crisis'. Furthermore, Mercy has given me the space to gain confidence that 4 years ago I never would have guessed I would have. Mount Mercy has helped me take that initial step toward becoming the strong woman of color I am today. At Mercy you are more than just a student, you are whoever you wish to be."

Melina Courtney

Class of 2022

"My future, success, and the ability to be an empowered woman in society come from Mount Mercy. My school is a strong foundation for my role in life. From attending Mount Mercy, I can say with confidence, that I will graduate with the mindset that I can accomplish anything. Mercy is my home and my sanctuary to be whoever I want. Mount Mercy has been bringing forth generations of strong intellectual women into the world, and I am more than honored to be one of them. Mercy teaches girls more than academics, but also about the world around us. As a mercy community, we give back to the world because it is our home. From my four years at Mercy, I have been educated on pushing for equality and peace and the understanding that there is no limit to what I can do. I have the confidence to go out in the world and make a difference because being a Mercy girl has given me that opportunity. "

Cassidy Reid

Class of 2022

"Mercy is more than just a school. Mercy is my second home and a shoulder to lean on. Mount Mercy has given me the confidence and resources to pursue my passions and make the world a more inclusive place, propelling me to take strides into male-dominated fields. Mercy blessed me with an environment to grow intellectually and in the community, giving me the foundation to make a tangible impact while making lifelong friendships."

Adrianna Awald

Class of 2022

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