GRAY DEYOSports Writer

The 2025 Tullahoma Lady Wildcats soccer team has already established themselves as one of the best teams in the program’s history. Head coach Richie Chadwick talked about some major factors that led to the team’s regular season success and what his team needs to do to be successful in the postseason district tournament and ahead.

One major improvement that Coach Chadwick has noticed this season from all of the girls on his team is the intense focus they have going from match to match. There is never a slip down in their play, and they do not have an issue that a lot of teams at their level have, which is playing down to competition. No matter what caliber of team Tullahoma plays, they maintain their strengths and use them as the advantages they are.

“These are homegrown players. Nobody transferred here; these are girls who have been playing together, in some cases back in the day of rec, and so they have kind of developed together,” said Chadwick on a factor that allows this team to have a good overall focus as a group.

This trait that the 2025 Tullahoma girls’ team has will be key in the district tournament. Every team that is in their district bracket they have beaten them, and by a good amount. The Lady Wildcats have a 6-0 record in their district and have won those matches for a combined score of 46-1. With this great success, Coach Chadwick talked about the mindset he wants his players to come into the tournament with.

“All year, we try to keep them in the moment, you know, don’t look too far ahead, just kind of see your opponent, and not the next one. The other thing is, let’s not dwell on the past. We know what we need to correct, or we know what we did well, you still have to stick to the present task.”

Another big factor in this team’s success this year is that they have used their experience as a monumental advantage. This rendition of the girls’ soccer team has nine seniors—Avery Sisk, Catelynn Ballard, McLayne Bobo, Lexi Chamblee, Abbie Grace Cox, Leah Forgarty, Jossalyn Garcia, Lauren Nichols, and Beautifull Perkins. Each one of their contributions has been vital this season and could lead to a deep postseason run.

“I think just adopting a common goal. What we did in June, I gave them some Post-it notes, I asked them to have a personal goal, a team goal, and a word for the season. The ones who were not out of town did it, and so we have a big board upstairs, and it’s there. So I tell them to go upstairs and look at it, just to kind of remember that day they did it, and more importantly, just reinforce those words moving forward,” said coach Chadwick on something that went into his seniors’ elevated play this season.

The Lady Wildcats’ first playoff game will be on Oct. 14, where they face the winner of Giles County and Spring Hill High School. If they win, they will take on either Central Magnet, Marshall County, Lawrence County, or Battle Creek High School in the championship. The district championship game will take place on Oct. 16.