Soccer: Bravo a key cog for Springdale

NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANDY SHUPE Yani Bravo (left) of Springdale High redirects the ball Tuesday as Alyssa Rocco of Springdale Har-Ber defends at Har-Ber High.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANDY SHUPE Yani Bravo (left) of Springdale High redirects the ball Tuesday as Alyssa Rocco of Springdale Har-Ber defends at Har-Ber High.

SPRINGDALE -- Yani Bravo liked to watch the Disney Channel growing up. Her father often wanted to watch soccer.

So soccer it was.

Yani Bravo

SCHOOL Springdale High

CLASS Senior

POSITION Defender

NOTABLE Team captain. … Has two goals and two assists. … Transitioned from forward to defender this season. … Will sign with Ecclesia College.

"I'd be like, 'Oh my gosh, I want to watch my cartoons,'" Bravo said.

That was her first exposure to the game. By the time she was 14, going outside and kicking the ball back and forth with her dad became a regular occurrence.

That led to her joining an adult church league, which eventually led to her trying out for the Springdale High soccer team. Lady Bulldogs coach David McKellips is thankful she did.

Now a senior, Bravo is one of Springdale's top players, a calming veteran presence for a youthful team that has struggled throughout much of the season. Bravo has been a bright spot, making marked improvement since the fall and being named a team captain by McKellips.

"Cause of her work ethic and the way other girls looked up to her," McKellips said. "She wasn't real vocal, but in practice she led by example."

Her skill on the field has been a valuable asset. She started the year playing forward for the Lady Bulldogs, but McKellips moved her to defender early in the year, deciding her abilities were more valuable on the back line.

"We needed speed in the back. She has a great leg to clear, and she's very smart," McKellips said.

She's still managed to score two goals and have two assists on free kicks since moving to defender, but her athleticism on the back row has helped the Lady Bulldogs as she's grown accustomed to the position. Springdale has struggled while playing a lineup featuring mostly underclassmen, but the Lady Bulldogs have shown signs of improving and have come close to winning several 7A-West games, including losing in penalty kick shootouts to Fort Smith Northside and crosstown rival Springdale Har-Ber. The latter came after Bravo and the Lady Bulldogs defense held Har-Ber scoreless in regulation.

"Now I actually like it better than forward because I get to touch the ball more," Bravo said. "I feel like I have a little more control."

Bravo's senior season will end soon, but she plans to sign with Ecclesia College in the near future. She hopes to make an early impact on the soccer team while pursuing a major that will lead to a career as a registered nurse.

"I like that it's small," Bravo said. "The ratio of teachers to students is like 1-to-11. If I don't understand something, I can go up to a teacher. I'm the type of person that is a hands-on learner, so it's going to be better for me. And the coach, I just felt a click. And I like the program, too."

Bravo doesn't spend much time watching the Disney Channel anymore. In fact, she makes it a point to tune in to the World Cup or any other big soccer matches.

"I try to watch what the players do, the runs they make, so when I'm on the field I'm like, 'Oh, wait, he did that. I'm going to try it,'" Bravo said.

The transition from cartoons to soccer has paid off for her.

Sports on 04/19/2015

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