Senior Soccer Spotlight: Blackburn, Perry Reflect on Lady Viking Soccer Careers

As key parts of some of the most successful seasons in Avery women’s soccer history, seniors Hayden Blackburn and Elyse Perry have experienced a great deal of joy and heights.

The pair will be playing their final regular season home game in a pivotal 1A contest this Friday for Senior Night against fellow state-ranked opponent Thomas Jefferson.

Earlier this week I spoke with the duo about this season’s squad, past seasons, their families and the future, among other topics.

AJ-T: If you had to describe your four years in the Lady Vikings soccer program in just ONE WORD, which word would you use?

Elyse Perry (EP): I would have to say “blessed”. With the coaching staff and the girls we have, God has definitely been a part of everything. Just seeing what God has done in our team and our games, I’m so excited about how things will go this week. Our girls have really become close this year and we’ve been growing together.

Hayden Blackburn (HB): I would definitely have to say the word for this year’s experience has been “teamwork”. Although we have a lot of really strong individual players, if it wasn’t for the new girls coming out this year and our returners who are all putting their own personalities into the makeup of the team, we wouldn’t have done so well as we have this year.

AJ-T: What are your plans following graduation next month?

HB: I will be going to UNC-Charlotte, pursuing a degree in business and hopefully go into something that deals with travel.

EP: I will be attending Appalachian State University, hopefully as a biology major for pre-medicine, with a minor in Spanish, so Coach Evaul should be happy.

AJ-T: Could you mention your family and their significance to you?

EP: My parents are Thomas Wayne and Julia Esther Perry and I am from Linville. I have a sister Savannah who has played on the soccer team with me this season. It’s been really neat to have her along with this season, that even though we are separated by age quite a bit, we’re still able to experience this season together in high school. My grandmother Elizabeth Hill is awesome and has been so supportive, and I also appreciate God.

HB: My parents are Rick and Kim Blackburn and I am from Newland. I definitely have to thank them as well as my brothers Cole and Spencer Blackburn. They have been so supportive of me and have helped me practice and toughening me up. I also feel like our teammates on the soccer team are like family, as we’ve grown so close this season. I also thank God for keeping us safe and blessing us with such a great group and a good season.

AJ-T: What has it been like to play for Coach Evaul and the Avery coaching staff?

HB: I know we’ve noticed it and players have talked about it, but Coach Evaul is an excellent coach, the best that I have had. He knows how to inspire us to focus and do our best. He’s very good at motivating us. Even with multiple coaches, it’s a little hectic sometimes but they all work really well together. It’s good to have a lot of people to go to, and each has their own individual field they can help with. And even though Coach Lou (Brancourt) left, he’s still had a huge influence on us and started the foundation of where we are now. Also Coach Jimenez has helped us to see things going on from a defensive perspective.

EP: Coach Evaul is really good at motivating, and Coach Daniels is a great encourager, giving us a lot of confidence. Coach Mitch is hardcore. He pushes us hard but it’s a good thing because then we play harder. We love Coach Wit. She is so funny and supportive. Also Coach Jimenez has been great with helping Mercedes in goal and helping us on defense.

AJ-T: What will you miss the most about playing soccer at Avery?

EP: It is just so much fun to run up and down the field with a ball and after a ball. I just love playing soccer, and with the quality of girls we have we don’t get big-headed and we’ve handled it so well.

HB: I’m going to miss the friendship and companionship that have built and share as a team. Every one of the girls on the team are friends to one another. There aren’t any outsiders or cliques. Everybody is just really close to each other, and I’m gonna miss that.

AJ-T: What will you miss THE LEAST about your playing career as a soccer player at Avery?

EP: It’s hard to think of anything. I guess in the years before this season when we had to run after games, but not anything really bad comes to mind..

HB: I guess I’d say that I would not miss the after-game running, but that’s just been the case the past three years with Coach Lou.

AJ-T: What advice would you give to underclassmen who will be playing next year after you’ve graduated?

HB: My advice to the girls for next year would be to stay positive and stay together as a team. Also to stay positive with one another, because the more positive each person stays, the better the team will be and the better each individual player will be.

EP: I would encourage the younger girls to invite other girls to play. Following next season, the team is really going to need girls to just field a team, so I encourage them to be inviting of other players and spread “Soccer Fever”. I also hope the girls will want to have a good reputation as a team and with the school, representing Avery. We don’t want people not coming to the game because of something negative, so I hope the girls will keep being positive.

AJ-T: How has playing soccer at Avery helped you as a player and as a person on the field and off the field?

HB: Soccer has given me something to do and has kept me driven, especially in my senior year to prevent having “senior-itis”. Having soccer has helped me to keep connected to the school. Also Coach Evaul has helped me a lot in my life, and what I’ll take from soccer to college with me is the importance of staying focused on my goals, and to make right decisions. Coach has always pressed us to make the right decisions and have a goal in life and achieve it, no matter how hard it is.

EP: As a player the past four years, I can tell that my skill has increased. I only played forward when I was younger, and I had the opportunity to play several different positions on the field which helped me to become a better player. Playing those positions helped me to have a greater appreciation for my teammates and the work they do. Hayden is so right in what she said. The lessons Coach Evaul gives us in his lessons are life lessons, and he challenged us to take the lessons we learn with us. He’s brought motivation and faith into the lessons and he has been great. He even wears a necklace he found on the bus with Tinkerbell on it. On the back it reads “Believe in the Magic”. Coach Evaul doesn’t normally wear jewelry, but he’s wearing it for the rest of the season. Everything about playing this season with this team has been memorable.

AJ-T: Is there anything you’d like to add about your experience?

HB: I think all the girls would say that our coach has showed us how much he cares about competing and winning matches. But he has shown us more how he cares for each of us. Without a doubt Coach Evaul cares a lot about us and will do anything for us. That makes him such a great coach.

EP: I’ve heard of coaches who constantly yell at players and push them and put them down. Coach Evaul doesn’t do that. We both appreciate how gentle he is with his players. I think that’s what makes us play so well.

Special thanks to Elyse and Hayden for their time in the compilation of this story, and congratulations to both of them on terrific prep careers at Avery High School!