Coupeville Sports

Becca Pabona

A soccer life.

The Whidbey Islanders GU18 select soccer squad, which brings together players from all three Island high schools, returns to action in December. This is one in a series of articles on the girls who proudly wear the jersey.

Becca Pabona is a two-way threat.

The Oak Harbor High School junior is a standout on the soccer field, both for the Wildcats, where she was a Second-Team All-Wesco pick as a defender this year, and for her select team, the GU18 Whidbey Islanders.

But get her off the field and she’ll impress you equally with her academic skills (“I really enjoy chemistry”) and her chops on the flute, which she plays in an all-ages choir (“We do performances and stuff; it’s cool”).

Plus she has excellent taste in movies, favoring ’80s classics like “The Breakfast Club,” which shows wisdom beyond her years.

On the pitch, she’s always rough and ready and rarely, if ever, backs down from a play.

“I like to think that I play pretty feisty,” Pabona said with a laugh. “And I feel like I have good ‘soccer smarts.’ Like I just see the field and anticipate how things should be.”

She’s now addicted to the game, though she had to be talked into trying it at first.

“I started playing in third grade because my mom encouraged me to and at first I didn’t want to but I’m so happy she made me,” Pabona said. “I really enjoy playing with all different kinds of people and meeting and making new friends. And for me playing soccer just makes me happy and for me it’s a stress reliever.

“I just love the game.”

Like many of her teammates, Pabona has worked her way up, starting with rec teams, then advancing to academy squads. Playing for one of those, the “Breakers,” in sixth grade, she helped lead them to an unbeaten season.

Since joining the Islanders she has expanded her on-field responsibilities, alternating between her traditional defender post and running the show from midfield.

Regardless of where she lines up, Pabona is always looking to tweak her game and take it up a notch or two.

“I’d like to work on being more confident when it comes to challenging the ball, and especially balls in the air,” she said. “Even though I usually feel confident enough to do a couple tricks, I’d like to expand on the tricks I’m able to do successfully and confidently.”

Success, both on and off the field, is due to her hard work and natural skill, but having a strong support group has greatly benefited her growth.

“My parents have been great role models for me and allowed me to be fairly independent and learn things on my own, but I learned everything through them,” Pabona said.

Her time working with Islander coaches Sean LeVine and Scott Rosenkranz has helped her to make great leaps in her game, as well.

“I’ve learned so much not only about soccer but about being a good person and life in general from all my coaches I’ve had,” Pabona said. “They don’t only want us to be great soccer players but great people too.”