HAMPTON, Va. (WTKR) — From the time she first stepped out on the pitch, Kecoughtan's Emma Hughes never wanted to leave the field.
"Both my parents played when they were in college, they always played soccer, and I just fell in love with it," the senior said. "My whole life revolves around basically soccer."
Now the midfielder does virtually everything for the Warriors. Hughes is trusted to take corner kicks, goal kicks, and control midfield play on the attack and she's become one of the team's best defenders on the other side of the field.
"She's moreso an example," said Kecoughtan head coach Frank Hughes (no relation). "It's not necessarily me trying to make her better, it's trying to utilize her to make the team better overall."
"It's definitely a lot of pressure on my back but we're here," Emma said. "All as one team and I wouldn't trade it for the world."
Hughes has won a pair of Virginia State Cups and play for national championships with her travel club. She knows what it takes to win a top level, and she wants to leave that kind of legacy in her final season in high school.
"I haven't been to the postseason since my freshman year," Hughes said. "So for my senior year, that's how I want to end it."
She still has a college decision to make. She hopes to go to either the University of Kentucky or Averett University. If she attends the latter, playing the sport is still in her future and is something she's thought plenty about.
"If I don't, I would regret it. I know myself, I would," she said.
Hughes found her passion early on in life. Now with a just a handful of games left before her high school career is over, she hopes to leave a team that's helped her chase that love in a better place.
"I just want to go out on my senior year with a good note and have fun with what I have," she said.
