Cheney’s Yve Strampe quick on soccer field

If there was ever any doubt about how fast Cheney High School midfielder Yve (pronounced Eve) Strampe is on a soccer pitch, the question was answered as quickly as Strampe performs on the field.

“We were playing West Valley, and it was very, very cold at the end of the season,” said Blackhawk head coach Marisa Sheldon. “I remember Yve had a long sleeve sweatshirt underneath her jersey because she was really cold.

“There was this ball passed to her, and Yve was even with the West Valley defender. Her jersey had very long sleeves, so she stopped, pulled them up, then ran at the ball and still beat the girl to the ball. It was just hilarious.”

The senior has been a pillar of consistency for an inexperienced Cheney squad this season, leading the Blackhawks when she has often been the bull’s eye of every opponent defense in the Greater Spokane League this year.

“She’s been double-teamed almost every game that we’ve played in the GSL because if you leave her alone, she’ll create things for sure,” Sheldon said. “If she gets stripped of the ball while she’s double-teamed, I would say 90 percent of the time she’ll go and get it back.

“With her speed and strength, she is definitely very versatile. I have the confidence to play her anywhere on the field.”

Strampe began her career with the Blackhawks as a forward during her sophomore year. It was during and after that season, though, Strampe suffered through a series of concussions.

“I’ve had like six or more,” said Strampe. “My most serious one was a couple of years ago after my sophomore season from basketball practice. I was just walking, and one of my friends thought I was looking at her, and she threw the ball.

“It hit me in the side of my head in my temple and I collapsed. I went to the hospital. I was out of it for a couple of weeks.

“My parents were concerned, and I just drifted away from soccer a little bit. You’re more prone to have more concussions after that. I’m not allowed to head the ball anymore.”

In fact, Strampe wears a helmet during every game to help prevent further injury, as the concussions took their toll on her during her junior season.

“I think it affected my mood a lot,” she said. “It really had a toll on my mood and my perspective on things for a while, which is a common side effect they told me.

“The year after I had them, it was pretty bad.”

After a frustrating junior season, Strampe has bounced back to be one of the top players in the GSL.

“She’s got great vision to play the ball to people who are making runs,” Sheldon said. “From midfield, she’s got a powerful right foot kick, but she’s also able to turn to her left and hit it.

“She had a hat trick against Lakeside, and two of the goals were left-footed. She brings composure to our midfield. She’s confident on the ball and not afraid to have it at her feet long enough to create something with it.

“Our problem is the lack of the players who are more confident on the ball. She’s patient.

“It just means we can generate more attack when she’s leading in midfield or that target player forward.”

While Strampe hopes to continue her soccer exploits in college, she has bigger plans in mind.

“I’m thinking about walking on if I don’t get any offers,” Strampe said. “I’m concentrating more on going to a school with a good pre-med program. I want to be a doctor.

“I don”t know if I’m going to specialize yet or not. I thought about delivering babies for a while actually. I love interacting with people.

“My whole life I’ve wanted to go into medicine. It’s been a goal of mine. I’m a perfectionist to the extreme. Everything has to be organized.

“The idea that I can do that and help people … to be able to do that (be a doctor) every day and get paid for it – it’s just an amazing concept.”