DST Newsletter - Spring 2025
What’s Coming Up?
Register today for our Summer Development Programs for players ages 8-18. Limited spots available, multiple session times for flexible summer soccer. Whether your player is getting ready for the high school season or wants to stay sharp over the summer between seasons, these programs are designed for all ages and skill levels. Get the details and register here.
Also perfect for the Spring Season: Match Analysis. Coach Dayes will come watch a game and create a detailed match analysis for your player. Learn more and sign up here: Match Analysis
Session Spotlight: Agility & Quickness
With the weather warming up, it’s a great time to get outside and work on your speed and quickness. These movements are easy to do at home with a partner and will help your player with bursts of speed out on the pitch.
Nutrition Tips
Savanah Feldpausch, MS, RD, LDN
Sports Dietitian | Louisville Athletics
My name is Whitney Cooper, and I discovered my love for soccer when I started playing at the age of 8. My favorite positions are striker and wingback, and I currently play for Racing Louisville's 08 ECNL team as well as the varsity team at Assumption High School.
What I love most about soccer is the pure joy it brings me. The feeling of constantly working to improve my skills and grow as a player is incredibly rewarding. My teammates also play a huge role in my soccer journey—I wouldn’t be where I am today without their unwavering support and camaraderie.
I look up to players like Alex Morgan, Sophia Smith, Emma Sears, and Mel Barcenas, who inspire me with their talent and determination. However, my greatest inspiration is Kobe Bryant—not for his soccer skills, of course, but for his relentless work ethic and "Mamba Mentality."
One of my most cherished soccer memories happened last season at Assumption High School when we played E-Town in our season opener. The match was tied 1-1 in the final minute when I performed a step-over move on a defender, carried the ball down the line, and sent a cutback pass to my teammate, who scored the game-winning goal. That day was especially meaningful because it was our coach's first game back after the loss of her brother, who had also been our strength trainer. It felt like he and God were with us on the field, and that victory was truly for him.
Coach Dayes has been instrumental in my development as a player. He’s helped sharpen my technical skills, including my first touch, dribbling, and shooting, while also enhancing my tactical awareness, like checking over my shoulder and reading the game. His guidance has kept me grounded and driven to improve.
My ultimate goal is to play for a Division 1 college program that values both academics and athletics and competes at a national level. If possible, I would be honored to continue my soccer career after college by playing for Racing Louisville's NWSL team.
