Evangelical Christian Academy freshman Heidi Mann emerged last week as one of the area’s top scoring threats. She scored four second-half goals Thursday, including three in the final 15 minutes, as the lady Eagles edged 2008 3A state qualifier Fountain Valley 5-4 in what coach Kevin Goos called the biggest win for the program in five years.

Two days earlier, Mann scored three goals in a 10-1 victory over Pikes Peak Christian and has a team-high 13 goals and six assists. ECA is 7-0overall (3-0 in Class 3A Region 2) and is on the way to achieving its goal of reaching the playoffs this season.

How long have you been playing soccer?I’ve been playing since I was 4 or 5, so nine or 10 years.

Your older sister Elise also plays for ECA. What’s it like to play together?It’s been a lot of fun. We were able to play club in the fall together. We learned how to work together. She’s a very nice older sister, so its been fun playing together as sisters and players.

Is there a friendly rivalry between you?Yes, a little bit. I don’t know about Elise, but it’s kind of my goal every once in a while to score more goals than her.

How competitive are you with each other?We’re not too competitive with each other. We just have fun playing together, but there’s not a rivalry as far as trying to be better than each other.

What role has she played in preparing you for your debut season?She has just really helped me over the years. Watching her play sports has helped me gain some experience.

What have you learned from her?Maybe not so much soccer type things. She’s a senior and she’s always been so thoughtful and kind. She’s taught me and others about team unity and playing together.

Are there any other members of your family who play soccer?We have five kids in our family and my brother Josh is playing college ball in Pennsylvania and my two younger sisters also play soccer.

How supportive is your family of your athletic participation?Very supportive. My parents, they taught me in club soccer and they also look for opportunities to go to camps and stuff. They try to make it so we have as many games as we can and that’s kind of hard with five kids.

Do you expect your team to win the top seed out of 3A Region 2?I’m not sure. I’m always hopeful. I haven’t looked at many other teams. We definitely have a good chance if we keep bringing our “A” game. We have to focus on the task at hand and not the next game and I think we can make it.

How does that region compare with 3A Region 8?I’m really not sure. I don’t look at any other regions. I just play my game and we take it as it comes at us.

Have you set any personal goals for the season?I just went into the season happy to play with Elise and to do well as a team. Not too many personal goals, just to keep scoring.

Your sister also competes in track and field during the spring. Do you?I just started this year. It’s a little tiring sometimes, but I’m having fun. It’s definitely worth it.

How do you balance the two sports?During the week I have soccer practice and right after soccer I have an hour of track. Soccer is my priority. If I have a soccer game, I don’t do track.

Do you compete in other sports?I also play basketball during the winter and club soccer in the fall.

Which is your best sport?Probably soccer right now, although basketball is definitely getting up there. It definitely helped this year, because I got to play some varsity basketball.

Which do you enjoy playing most?People have asked me this before and I tell them both. During basketball season it’s basketball, and during soccer season it’s soccer. Track is fun, but it’s not my favorite. I like playing with a team rather than as an individual.

Have you given any thought to athletics beyond high school?As much as I enjoy basketball and track, I think it would be a blast to play soccer in college, although I don’t know where I’ll go yet. It’s just a matter of what God has in mind for me.

Photo by CHRISTIAN MURDOCK, THE GAZETTE