Coupeville Sports

Lydia Peplinski

Lydia Peplinski lives and loves the soccer life.

One of the newest members of the GU18 Whidbey Islanders select squad, she has been playing since she was old enough to kick a ball.

As she heads into her sophomore year at Oak Harbor High School, the center midfielder is as much in love with the sport now as she has ever been.

“I love to run the field; I like having the responsibility of the flow of the game,” Peplinski said. “I love being a leader and an example.

“I enjoy being outside, I enjoy the big team, I enjoy the game, I enjoy everything about it,” she added. “There’s no place I’d rather be!”

The daughter of former OHHS athletes Tony and Amy (Preder) Peplinski (who I actually wrote about back in my Whidbey News-Times days), Lydia brings brains and natural skill to the pitch.

“My strengths would be my leadership, footwork and how, since I’ve been playing so long, I can predict the game,” Peplinski said. “I’m smart on the field.

“I definitely need to work on speed,” she added. “I can be extremely fast if I worked at it; three years ago I’d beat (teammate) Gillian (Crossley), now she’s whooshing past me!”

Peplinski started early (“I’ve been playing since I was a kid!”), and, after several years of rec ball, listened to the urging of coach Troy Cowan, who now calls the shots for the Coupeville High School girls’ soccer team, and moved up.

“He pushed me to join club soccer,” Peplinski said. “I began forming relationships with my teammates and had personally my favorite coach so far, Ryan Baker. ”

Away from the field, she is a strong student (“MATH! I love math! It comes easy to me and they seem to be the best classes”), and is deeply committed to music.

“MUSIC! Huge, huge part in my life,” Peplinski said. “I’ve played piano for eight years now and sax and clarinet for four. It’s my passion beside soccer.”

Now in her fourth season of select soccer, she draws on numerous people, both local and far away, for inspiration.

“Big influences? Everyone,” Peplinski said. “From the people that are on TV that are amazing soccer players, to my mom and dad with all their support, the coaches that made soccer fun and the people who don’t get the chance to play.”