From 1 winner to next
KARNS CITY — Having spent the last four years playing for a traditional champion, Karns City senior Jill Morrow will play the next four years with a new one.
An outside back and four-year starter for the Gremlins girls soccer team, Morrow will continue her academic and soccer career at Chatham University.
It's the only school she considered.
“I went to a soccer camp there two years ago,” Morrow said. “I loved the campus and I was impressed with their coach. I think I'm a good fit for the kind of player she likes.”
Betsy Warren has been Chatham's women's soccer coach for 10 seasons and has completely reversed that program's fortunes. The Cougars were 6-43-1 in her first three seasons, 49-26-9 over the past five years, including consecutive conference title game appearances.
“Coach Warren likes players who are aggressive and go directly at the ball. That's my game,” Morrow said.
Chatham is coming off an 8-1-2 season this spring that resulted in the program's first Presidents' Athletic Conference championship. The Cougars allowed only five goals all season.
Such success should be just fine for Morrow.
“Karns City girls aren't used to losing,” Gremlins soccer coach Tracy Dailey said. “They don't want to go to a program that loses all the time.
“I know Jill will do everything she can to help Chatham continue its run of success.”
Morrow said Chatham's success on the soccer pitch had nothing to do with her decision to go there.
“Joining a new team can be intimidating,” she said. “They're a group of friendly girls and I'm going to enjoy playing with them. The transition should be easy for me.
“It's a talented team and I'm not sure I'll be playing as a freshman. But I'm confident I'll get on the field and will contribute to their success eventually.”
Morrow was the only senior on Karns City's team last fall. The Gremlins finished 10-3 last season, reaching the District 9 championship game. She was part of three district championship teams at KC.
Morrow is the elder sister of Ceci Morrow, who also plays for Karns City's varsity team.
“Jill used to go watch her sister play youth soccer,” Dailey said. “When she (Jill) reached eighth grade, she asked if she could start playing. She figured if she was going to come to the games all the time to watch, she might as well play.
“The girl had never played soccer in her life, but when she got on the field and we saw how fast she was, how strong she was ... we can teach soccer skills. We can't teach speed and aggressiveness.”
Morrow played basketball and volleyball at Karns City through eighth grade. She played soccer, did track and field and was a cheerleader in high school.
“Having competed in other sports, I had some athleticism and that helped me in soccer,” she said. “It was just a matter of learning the sport and what I was supposed to do.”
Dailey said Morrow excelled at joining the attack and helping to facilitate the offense.
Morrow scored a goal and had a number of assists last season despite playing a defensive position.
Her soccer goal at Chatham?
“That's simple,” she said. “They just won the PAC championship. Help them to win more championships.”
Morrow plans to major in biology and go into the school's physician's assistant program.
