While one might find it uncommon to see middle school and high school students interact often, most days eighth-grader Abby Alter can be found on the girls’ varsity soccer field.

Abby started playing soccer from the young age of three years old, and continues to play on a year-round club soccer team for D.C. Stoddert, a co-ed youth soccer organization. When she was first approached by girls’ varsity coach Jay Matula about playing for the team, she became “really excited” and accepted the challenge.

Matula first got the opportunity to work with Alter this past spring when she played on the girls’ varsity softball team, which he also coaches. He was able to get to know Abby better as a player, and she was able to become more familiar with Matula as a coach.

Matula knew that Abby had “good pace and soccer knowledge” and he felt as if he could put her anywhere on the field and the job would get done. Matula does not often bring up middle school students to play at the varsity level unless he believes that they can contribute to the team and keep up with the older players.

“It’s a higher level [of play] and people are more committed to it,” Abby said.

In addition to playing on the high school soccer team for the first time, Abby gets to experience playing with her older sister, sophomore Naomi Alter, for the first time. Naomi said that on the field they leave any issues from home behind and treat each other like teammates.

“While we are playing soccer, she just seems like a regular soccer player, but off the field she’s my sister,” Naomi said.

So far this season Abby has played midfield and striker for varsity and has scored twice.

“I think each person adds something to the team, and she definitely brings her own, something new to the team,” Naomi said.