Girls soccer introduces new head varsity coach

Coach+Katie+Tarrant%2C+featured+left%2C+watches+the+girls+varsity+tryouts+alongside+Freshman+Coach%2C+Alyssa+Meza.+Both+coaches+are+new+to+their+positions+this+year%2C+but+they+are+sure+to+be+excellent+additions+to+the+program.

Mardi Pfeifer

Coach Katie Tarrant, featured left, watches the girls varsity tryouts alongside Freshman Coach, Alyssa Meza. Both coaches are new to their positions this year, but they are sure to be excellent additions to the program.

High school soccer: the competitive, reputable and driven athletic program that dominates the lives of thousands of San Diegan teenagers for one season every year. 

This year, the girls program at Carlsbad High will undergo a shift, as it promotes former Freshman Coach Katie Tarrant to the Head Varsity Coach of 2019-2020.

“I love giving back my knowledge and passion for the game, “ Tarrant said. “If I can inspire a lifelong passion for the sport, I’ve done my job. It’s about giving these young ladies the self confidence and life skills they need to apply in the real world.”

With 15 years of coaching and a total of 24 years worth of soccer experience under her belt, Tarrant proves that she will be able to coach our team in the best way possible. She has worked with semi-pro Women’s Premier Soccer League, Collegiate, Club Academy and High School programs. Last year was her first year working with Carlsbad, as she coached for the girls Freshman team, but this year, she had some pretty big shoes to fill; Head Varsity coach.

“Hopefully, the passion I have will continue to produce a top quality side this season and continue the legacy the school has,” Tarrant said. “Being a younger female in the sport myself, I want to start to empower these young ladies to be whatever they want to be.”

I love giving back my knowledge and passion for the game. If I can inspire a life long passion for the sport I’ve done my job. It’s about giving these young ladies the self confidence and life skills they need to apply in the real world.

— Katie Tarrant

With many years of experience comes many years of memories. Tarrant has played all over the globe, with teams such as Chelsea Football Club in the United Kingdom, Amazon Grimstad in Norway and three W-League pro seasons in the United States. These extremely valuable years of playing not only strengthened her ability as a player, but as a coach too. 

“Coach Katie was really nice,” sophomore Mallory Newman said. “She never yelled at us, she kind of supported us, in a way.”

Not only does she genuinely care about her players and their drive to succeed, Tarrant values a personal connection with them. She makes an effort to bond with her athletes, because that is what she believes a good coach does.

“I have won a lot as a player, but I just really enjoy seeing growth and improvement in the athletes I coach,” Tarrant said. “That’s what gets me out of bed everyday.”

In the Girls Soccer season of 2018-2019, the varsity team, led by Dean Balent, took home the Open Division CIF win. This triumph greatly rose the bar for Tarrant to reach. She aims to use her many years of knowledge with the sport to lead our girls to another victory this year. 

“I have some big shoes to fill and hopefully the passion I have will continue to produce a top quality side this season and continue the legacy the school has,” Tarrant said.