Sometimes, Eleanor Lawyer enjoys the journey even more than the destination.
Whether it was a long bus ride to a state championship soccer game, or just a simple ride to recreational soccer practice with her grandfather, Lawyer was usually all smiles before the first kick of the game.
The Paul VI High School girls soccer team managed to bring out another smile from Lawyer on Oct. 8 when it might not have been otherwise easy to find one. The Eagles were hosting Our Lady of Mercy Academy, and the team dedicated the game to Lawyer’s grandfather, Joe Baker, who recently passed away. He was an enormous supporter of his granddaughter and her high school soccer team.
“My grandpa watched all of our games and would always ask me how we were doing, so it really means a lot to me that the game was dedicated to him,” said Lawyer, a junior.
Her grandfather attended every game during the Eagles’ run to their first state championship in school history last year, as Paul VI capped off a 20-2-1 season with a Non-Public A state title.
“He was a big fan of the [team] and was a big fan of just being out there being able to watch Eleanor play,” Paul VI coach Karen Anderson said.
Lawyer’s grandfather was also there when she still needed help tying her soccer cleats as a 7-year-old, roaming the grass fields and learning how to kick a ball.
“He’d always take me to all my soccer practices,” she said. “I loved that he would always take me to get ice cream after games. And I remember him playing music before the games. He played a lot of old music.”
Music before games is still Lawyer’s favorite part of the pregame ritual. It continues with her Paul VI teammates, whom she also considers family. As such, her teammates said they were honored to take part in dedicating the game to a steady presence in the bleachers.
“Losing someone you love is never easy, and we wanted to honor her grandfather by dedicating the game to him,” senior co-captain Emma McCarthy said. “Playing for him is a privilege, and we know he was watching, cheering for us like he always does.”
The team didn’t let him down. Paul VI defeated OLMA, 7-0, to win their ninth game of the season and remain undefeated. And Lawyer did her part, scoring the second goal of the game by tucking a shot just below the crossbar during the first half. She quietly celebrated – and said she thought of her grandpa.
“I know he’d be very proud,” Lawyer said with a smile. “He always told me to play like my hair was on fire.”
Lawyer usually does. That special goal was her seventh tally of the year and the 22nd of her career. She has become a key component to a team looking to chase glory again in November. It will take teamwork, effort and perhaps a long bus ride to the state championship.
“Last year was really fun,” Lawyer said. “Everything worked out perfectly. And we’re on track to keep doing good things.”
It’s a long journey. And Lawyer admitted a great gesture by her teammates helped her along the way.
“It means a lot,” she said. “It shows that everyone cares for me. A lot of people have reached out. It’s been a team effort.”
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