Sep. 18, 2020 -- It’s been quite a week for Heights High senior Zelda Thayer-Hansen. She will be featured tonight on 850 ESPN Cleveland’s Senior Spotlight for her accomplishments in the classroom and as the starting goalie and co-captain of the Girls Soccer team. She is also one of three area athletes in the running for Lake Erie League Player of the Week.

Ten seniors from across Northeast Ohio are selected for Raising Cane’s Senior Spotlight from among hundreds of “fan nominations.” One will be featured each week throughout the fall season. Zelda, a top scholar at Heights who now splits her time between high school courses and those at Cleveland State, is a natural choice.

“She’s a leader on and off the field,” said Coach Patrick Gleba. “She leads by example.” He nominated her for this week’s LEL Player of the Week after being impressed with how she bounced back after the team’s first game, a tough 0-7 loss. “As a senior keeper, that was a lot of weight on her,” said Gleba. “But she bounced back and led us to victory in the next game,” a 3-1 win where Zelda recorded 12 saves.

Zelda admits that “goalie is such a mentally tough position. But I’ve worked really hard on not beating myself up and remembering that it’s tough for the rest of the players too.”

More than anything, Zelda is just thrilled that her senior soccer season is happening despite Covid-19. “I was so worried that I wouldn’t have this extra family that I’ve always had. And I’m really really glad to have it now.”  

The Senior Spotlight will air on 850 ESPN Cleveland radio between 7:15 and 7:30pm this evening. Voting for the LEL Player of the Week closes soon after at 8pm tonight.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit:  Full Stop Photography