The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Lake’s Druzina reflects on interesting fall
If nothing else, the last few months haven’t been bland for Kati Druzina.
The Lake Catholic senior and 2017 News-Herald girls soccer player of the year logged one mission trip abroad, with another one still to come.
She was named homecoming queen at her school.
She had a unique vantage point for the Cougars embarking on their second straight Division II state final four charge.
She was invited to a high school all-American match in December in Orlando. And Nov. 14, she signed her national letter of intent to continue her soccer career at Notre Dame.
The only aspect that did not go ideally for Druzina was the vantage point from which she enjoyed that most recent Lake postseason run.
But that has also helped yield perspective with her future course set for South Bend.
“It’s been like almost two years since I committed,” Druzina said. “My parents put a lot into me and my soccer career to get me to where I’m at today. With all that traveling around the country with them, it was great. It paid off.
“Notre Dame, I just found it to be so unique because of the history behind it and the alumni that go through that school is die-hard Notre Dame. So I love the culture of it, and especially, it’ll push me to be a better person through academics and athletics for me playing soccer. I’m just very excited to start.”
Through her club side Ambassadors FC, Druzina traveled earlier this year on a mission trip to Mexico, where she took part in matches and clinics for the locals to promote the game.
She will embark on a similar trek later this month to Rwanda, a small nation in east Africa, with a threematch stretch and stay that will include a match against a Rwanda national side.
“We went over to help promote soccer (in Mexico) for the girls, because it’s not very popular,” Druzina said. “Usually, boys are into soccer over there. So basically, we just helped them in the poor villages and played soccer with the little kids. It was such a cool experience for me at such a young age to experience what I saw.
“It’s like a universal language, because obviously I didn’t speak the same language with those kids in Mexico or how it’ll be in Rwanda. But once you see a soccer ball at their feet, they’re the happiest kids ever.”
Druzina’s senior campaign for Lake could have been a little happier. In August, Druzina was in a walking boot due to foot surgery, with hopes of being able to eventually return to the pitch this year.
Unfortunately, time ran out on that aspiration, rendering Druzina into a mentoring role instead of a playing capacity. But she was pleased to see a predominantly young side get on its second-straight state run and a 14-6-1 campaign that ended with a 1-0 D-II state semifinal loss to Bay.
“I was upset, because it was my senior year,” Druzina said. “But it is what it is. I’ve never really had a big injury like this. It happens to a lot of people. But I just put it into my head that, ‘Just work hard, once you’re out of this after the surgery.’ I was so happy how far Lake girls soccer went.
“I think girls soccer at Lake is creating a name for itself, like the past few years especially with our state run and when we beat Walsh Jesuit (a 1-0 upset Oct. 5, 2016). Lake Catholic is starting to have a name.”
As one of the great attackers and technically refined performers this area has produced in recent memory, Druzina has helped contribute to that.
As a junior, Druzina had 23 goals and nine assists as Lake got to the final four the first time in girls soccer in school history, breaking a curse of sorts for the program at the elite-eight level after going 0-5 in regional finals since 2004 prior to last season.
While contributing even further as a senior on the pitch would have been the most ideal option, Druzina exits knowing the program has been left in a better place.
“It’s meant a lot to me, because I’ve been able to play with my best friends the past four years,” Druzina said. “So now that it has come to an end, it is bittersweet. But yeah, Lake Catholic has done a lot for me. And I’m just grateful that I went to this school. And now that I’m leaving, I hope they do really well next year.”
“It’s meant a lot to me, because I’ve been able to play with my best friends the past four years.”