Girls sports: Fremd’s do-it-all Gwen Zimmerman has the Vikings on two more title quests
Gwen Zimmerman can do almost anything.
Last fall, she helped Fremd win the state championship in flag football despite never having played the sport.
This spring her 1,600-meter relay team qualified for the state track meet, and her soccer team is favored to return to the state tournament after finishing third a season ago.
The one thing she can’t do is be in two places at once.
“It’s difficult. It’s not always going to line up exactly as you want it,” Zimmerman said. “My 4x400 relay, we qualified for state, and so we have that going on Friday and Saturday, but there’s also the regional soccer game on Friday, so I’m not sure what I’m doing for that.”
Zimmerman has been a member of both the track and field and soccer teams since her freshman year at Fremd. While she’s committed to Northwestern for soccer, the indoor track season begins in January, which allowed her a few months of focusing on track before switching to soccer. With three years of dual-sport action under her belt, Zimmerman has become quite adept at balancing responsibilities.
“One of the main reasons she is able to balance both sports is her ability to communicate with coaches about her workload for each week,” said Fremd girls track and field coach Joseph Marcin. “She has coaches that understand her talents in both sports and allow her to participate in both sports.”
This year Zimmerman tacked on yet another responsibility — playing for the Welsh U19 soccer team. While she missed three of Fremd’s games in early March for the UEFA U19 championship, she believes her trip across the Atlantic Ocean will benefit the Vikings in the long run.
“It was an amazing experience. You get to learn to lead in different environments,” Zimmerman said. “I can take some of those lessons that we talked about defensively, and try to implement them and talk about them with some of my high school teammates.”
Zimmerman has been with those teammates for three seasons now, and her connection with her fellow juniors is especially evident. The other top scorers on Fremd’s roster — Sammy Serpico, Kate Rubens and Lily Mayer — are all in Zimmerman’s class, and the four of them have developed a synergy.
“They all enjoy each other. They're a very tight group. They get along very well, and they want to work for one another,” said Fremd girls soccer coach Steve Keller. “They know each other in terms of what they like to do, in terms of where they like the ball, so it’s obviously advantageous for us in that regard.”
Their bond was enhanced in last year’s postseason run, a trip to the state tournament that culminated in a third-place finish. With that experience under their belts, the Vikings are ready to take on all comers.
“I think the girls know that we're a team to be reckoned with, but at the same time, we have to bring our best every game, because we've accomplished a lot,” Keller said. “I think (last year’s tournament run) instilled a belief in the girls. They know it’s possible.”
The main reason it’s possible is Zimmerman. Keller has placed her all across the lineup this season — she played as a defender against Peoria Notre Dame, as a midfielder most other games, and is constantly in the penalty area when the Vikings need a score. Zimmerman is the definition of a team player — she’ll do whatever it takes to help Fremd to victory.
If she can continue her run of excellent play, she’ll be in a similar position as last fall: holding up a state championship trophy.
“It's all about recognizing what the team needs and being willing to adapt and read the game moment to moment,” Zimmerman said. “I just try to do the best I can in whatever position they put me in.”