As the sun begins to set, long shadows are cast on those watching from the sidelines. Players dart across the turf with ease, passing the ball up and down the field. The crowd observes every shot on the goal and every thud of the ball, cheering at each electrifying moment. One spectator in particular has her gaze fixed upon her older twin sisters, Emma and Kamryn Ealey, as she absorbs each and every movement. Haydn Ealey’s earliest memories are intertwined with those on a soccer field, whether it was from watching her sisters’ games or from playing on the field herself.
Ealey, junior, has looked up to her sisters for as long as she could remember. Recently, she said she’s been motivated by Emma and Kamryn’s achievements in college.
“My sisters playing soccer in college has inspired me to play at that level too,” Ealey said. “Seeing them succeed just makes me feel better about myself and my own dreams.”
Outside of soccer, the twins are also pursuing their life-long dreams of going to medical school. Ealey said she is encouraged to see this aspiration finally come to life for them.
“[My sisters] have always wanted to go to med school, so seeing them strive for that makes me want to do the same thing,” Ealey said. “They’ve taught me that anyone can achieve their goals if you set your mind to it.”
Willa Hansen, freshman, also views her older sister as someone to look up to throughout her life. She said that whenever she needs advice or someone to talk to, Ella, senior, will be there.
“Sometimes when I’m sad I’ll go into her room and she lets me talk about anything I need,” Hansen said. “I remember one time we talked for so long that I just ended up falling asleep in her bed.”
Before freshman year, Hansen sought advice from her sister after feeling nervous to start at a new school. She said that she has learned a lot from Ella about meeting new people.
“I want to value genuine friendships because of her,” Hansen said. “She has friends from so many different grades, which [encourages me] to branch out.”
Ella, senior, realized that she became a mentor to her younger sister after Hansen turned to her for advice. She said the importance of having a sibling is to be there for them unconditionally.
“Having a sister is so important when you’re growing up because you have a friend that you know will never leave you,” Ella said. “You could mess up in any type of way possible, but they’ll still love you.”
Hansen said as they’ve both gotten older and matured, their bond has deepened significantly. Recently, she said she has increasingly viewed her sister more as a role model.
“A hero is someone I can look up to who will help me get out of really dark times in my life,” Hansen said. “My sister is that person for me.”
