Following a successful 2022 campaign in which McAlester girls soccer finished 12-4, the Buffaloes spent the offseason focussing on character development and team culture through philanthropy.

“We have taken one day each month for community outreach by reading to elementary students, running a skills camp, packing holiday meals and spending time with Boys & Girls Club members,” McAlester head coach Charlette Moss said. “In addition to this, we have spent time each week working our way through a book titles ‘Chop Wood Carry Water.’ From these experiences, our players have learned to be selfless and trust the process.”

The Buffs have carried the fruits of that work into practice, emphasizing communication.

“This season, fans can expect to see a selfless team focused on positive communication with a relentless fighting spirit,” Moss said. “We have a cohesive unit that is ready to leave their mark in the continued McAlester athletic legacy.”

Emma “Hollywood” Harrison, McAlester’s senior goalkeeper, is at the forefront of the movement and one of the team’s most valuable players (not to mention her skills on the pitch).

“She [Harrison] provides leadership from the back of the field to the front and performs well under pressure. She distributes the ball well through goal kicks and punts and is willing to put her body on the line in order to stop goals being scored,” Moss said. “She is well-respected among her peers because of the integrity with which she makes choices on and off the field.”

Junior Kelsie Harden, whom Moss called a “fearless defender” anchors McAlester’s backline. Her vocal leadership is vital to McAlester’s team culture.

“She [Harden] plays with an aggressive, unapologetic style inspiring courage from her fellow defenders,” Moss said. “Not only is she aggressive on the soccer field, she is equally ambitious with her education as she juggles athletics, a job and concurrent enrollment as a junior.”

Annabel Grantham will be one of only a few McAlester freshmen playing varsity this spring — and a significant one.

“She [Grantham] plays with a quiet confidence, letting her play speak for itself rather than her words,” Moss said. “As an outside defender, she has knowledge of when to clear the ball or when to possess and attack. . . She has a powerful foot as well as a soft controlled touch and ability to discern when to use them both.”