By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SALEM, Ore.–  2022 Dallas-grad Trista Courson and Portland Community College freshman Trista Courson didn’t see herself playing at the next level.  She described herself as very timid and not very high with her confidence.

Dallas was a new home for her when she started her freshman year coming over from Silverton.  But she didn’t shy away from the challenge, joining Capital FC as a freshman while playing as a member of the JV-only Dallas Girls Soccer team.  With the Dragons opting to go JV-only again the next year, Courson wanted to try-out for the boys soccer team.

Something she succeeded in and saw playing time with the Dallas boys soccer team her sophomore and junior seasons before graduating early this past school year.  The challenge helped her adjust to the speed of the game.   

 “It was really big.  It was a new school for me so I didn’t know any of the guys on the team, it was really new and it was really good for me to get out there, pick up the skill level.  It was hard but it taught me  a lot and was really good for me upping my game,” Courson said.

And what’s more awesome to add to Courson’s versatility, and it helped her build confidence and has even helped in a way translate into the soccer field was her joining a Roller Derby team.  Something she picked up in middle school and it just grew as her team had just finished second in the National tournament recently in Arizona.

“Roller Derby has helped with aggression, 1v1 with players and it helps me go in and show that I can go in and beat people up on the field and on the track,” Courson said.  “Weight lifting has helped too with all that strength and confidence.  Saying that I am a strong player, I am a strong athlete.”

It’s paying off too as Portland Community College’s sitting 6-2 on the year, 4-0 in league play and a game-ahead of Chemeketa in the standings following the victory Saturday.  A huge step into the right direction as they prepare for the second go-around in league play.

“It was super big for us.  We were kind of playing lower level teams and it was really hard to tell how we would match up with Chemeketa.  But seeing how we’re both playing hard and play through a hard team, it was a really good confidence boost and it’s good to have our heads up going through the rest of conference,” Courson said of the win.

For Courson, to represent both the Dallas and Silverton communities at the next level with soccer is something she is prideful about.  Knowing that she still has connections in both communities as she’s onto this new chapter of her life and playing career.

“It feels pretty cool and the fact that I’m still connected to both (communities) is pretty big for me too,” Courson said.

Lane wraps up the first loop through league September 24 when they travel to Southwestern Oregon Community College for a noon kickoff.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald