Speed, skills make Alyssa Bedard best girls soccer player in Wyoming
ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. (BVM) 鈦犫�� The best soccer players force opponents to keep track of where they are on the pitch at all times. Alyssa Bedard was that player for Rock Springs High School over the past three seasons.
鈥淭hey changed their gameplan around her,鈥� Rock Springs head coach Stephen Pyer said. 鈥淲hen we played the better teams, their game plan was 鈥楧on鈥檛 let Alyssa Bedard behind you. Don鈥檛 give her any room.鈥� At the state tournament last year, every single game they had a person man-mark her.鈥�
And Bedard was far from an easy player to keep up with because she was faster than most. The University of Wyoming commit also excelled at indoor track, claiming seven state titles and setting seven school records over the course of her career. Her speed combined with exceptional soccer skills made her even more difficult for opposing teams to deal with.
鈥淣ot only is she faster than everybody, but then she can do soccer moves and high-level technical soccer moves at that speed and at that point it鈥檚 unstoppable,鈥� Pyer said.
Bedard, a three-time all-conference and all-state selection, was named the Gatorade Wyoming Girls Soccer Player of the Year after a stellar high school career which was shortened like many others鈥� due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 Rock Springs grad, who led the Tigers to third place in the Class 4A state tourney as a junior, still finished as the school鈥檚 all-time leader in goals (86) and assists (36) despite losing her senior season.
鈥淭he three years I did get to play, it was amazing,鈥� Bedard said. 鈥淚 loved every second of it, just being able to be around my coaches and teammates and our family that we built. It鈥檚 amazing looking back at everything we were able to accomplish and I鈥檓 glad I got that experience.鈥�
As Bedard takes her talents to the NCAA Division I college level in Laramie, she鈥檚 ready to do whatever鈥檚 necessary to make an impact as a freshman.
鈥淚鈥檓 just going to go in with an open mind and work as hard as I can and contribute in whatever they need me to,鈥� Bedard said.
Pyer expects she鈥檒l step in and make an immediate impact because of her speed and ability to play anywhere the Cowgirls will ask her to play on the pitch.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know where they鈥檙e going to put her,鈥� Pyer said, 鈥渂ut she鈥檚 one of those players who if you put her on the wing, she鈥檒l play a wing, you put her up top, she鈥檒l go score a goal, you put her on defense, she鈥檒l play good defense. 鈥� There are other very good gifted athletes in the state, but the way she plays, she dominates. She鈥檚 just a game-changer.鈥�