Oh captain, my captains: West Milford girls' soccer

WEST MILFORD — Jillian Stark and Laura Santonacita have led West Milford on the field this year. Their soccer dreams started when they were both only single digits old. Now, after this year’s soccer season is ended co-captains Jillian Stark and Laura Santonacita reflect on memories of their West Milford athletic careers. “My brothers and sisters always played soccer and I started playing in the town leagues when I was about six years old,” Stark said. “I was a goalie back then. But I have switched since.” “I started when I was little, on PAL when I was six,” Santonacita said. “I played on the travel team and pretty much have played with the same girls from then through the varsity.” “In the fifth grade I started playing in the traveling league, and I played that through the eighth grade before playing in high school,” Stark said. “In my sophomore year I went to varsity and have been there ever since.” Both girls were chosen by head coach Nikki Gwinnett at the start of the year to be team captains. “Being a captain is an honor. Especially to be looked up to as we are. Even if we aren’t the best of friends with the younger girls they look up to you,” Stark said. “Captains make the effort to bring the team together.” For her part, Santonacita agrees. “Being a captain means a lot. It is something that we have wanted since we were little,” the co-captain said. “To be on this team where everyone younger than you looks up to you is pretty amazing. You are the one to get the team together and get the team pumped up. When you are up, the team is up. You set the tone for the team and the girls look to you. It is a great thing.” Their senior year record has not panned out the way they wanted it to, “Our record isn’t really fair to what we are capable of. While most of us have been playing together for a while we are still a young team. I think we are playing better than our record shows,” Stark said. Santonacita feels her teams character made them a threat. “In games when we are down we don’t give up. We will come back in the second half and not allow any goals against us. That is the thing about our team is that we try our hardest. We never give up and that is important.” Off the field, Stark is quick to point out a favorite memory. “We had a pep rally this season. And we had to choose a song to come out to. And the night before the pep rally we had to pick a song and we decided to plan something cool to do,” Stark said. “We were at Laura’s house for a pasta dinner, and the song we came up with is ‘What is love.’ So we made this really cool dance and everyone was part of it. And it was so funny, and we did it in front of the whole entire school.” Santonacita has a harder time coming up with a favorite memory. “I can’t of just a single favorite moment,” the senior said. “But I really liked when we came up with a nickname for coach.” As they leave their Highlander career behind them, it is not the wins and losses, but the friendships they carry with them that makes the experience worth it. “We are a close team. We get along together so well,” Stark said. “It’s always fun, even when we lose.” “This is a great team,” Santonacita said. “It feels good to play on this team.”