All-Around Athlete: Multi-sport standout Barker is The Republic Girls Soccer Player of Year

Columbus North senior Lauren Barker is The Republic Girls Soccer Player of the Year. She is pictured at the BCSC Soccer Complex in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022.

Mike Wolanin | The Republic

Pick a sport, and there’s a good chance that Lauren Barker has not only played it, but she’s been really good at it.

Take volleyball, for instance. At Northside Middle School, Barker led her team in digs and was team MVP.

Or, track. Barker was only two-hundredths of a second off the school record in the hurdles at Northside.

How about long-distance running? Barker ran the Mill Race half marathon her freshman year and was the second female finisher from Bartholomew County.

Barker also took gymnastics growing up and was a competitive club swimmer through fifth grade. Her main sport always has been basketball, and she is hoping to continue that at the collegiate level next year.

“I loved doing as many sports as I could growing up,” Barker said. “I think it’s added variety.”

Soccer is the one other sport that Barker has stuck with through high school, and she has excelled at that, as well. She started every game in her four years at Columbus North, and this year, is The Republic Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

“I really have loved soccer, and I’m glad I stuck with it all four years for high school,” Barker said. “There’s nothing like high school sports, and I’ve really enjoyed playing for a program as special as this one.”

Barker started playing soccer at age 5. She played Parks and Recreation and then with the Columbus Express Soccer Club before settling on travel basketball in her offseasons.

“I’ve always loved basketball and soccer a ton,” Barker said. “I did really enjoy swimming while I did it. Swimming is just definitely a very big time commitment. We practiced before school and after school for probably a minimum of two hours, but I enjoyed my experiences there. Then, volleyball was a really hard decision for me to give up going into high school because volleyball and soccer are the same season. I contemplated it for a little while, but I just wanted to play soccer here.”

After playing a complementary role to All-State standout Jenna Lang her first three years, Barker took over as the Bull Dogs’ go-to player this season. With Lang now at Michigan, Barker led North with 16 goals and four assists this fall, leading the Bull Dogs to a 7-7-3 record.

“It was definitely hard losing as many seniors as we did, as much as they contributed to the team,” Barker said. “I knew it would be a little bit of a rebuilding year for us this year, but I thought we had a lot of young ones that took on the challenge well, and I tried to lead them as best I could. I think we competed in every game, so I was happy with that.”

Barker played forward and outside midfield most of her first three years. She moved to the attacking midfield spot late in her junior year after Lang was injured.

This season, Barker was back in that attacking midfield position.

“(Coach David Young) kind of tested me playing the attacking midfield, and I enjoyed playing there,” Barker said. “So that’s when he first mentioned playing that position this year. I feel like I got more confident with it. I like playing that position because I can play through-balls to the forwards, and I was able to get more shots off from distance. I really enjoyed playing it this year.”

Barker finished her career with 50 goals and 21 assists.

“Lauren is one of the greatest ambassadors of high school sports that I can think of,” Young said. “As good of a soccer player she is, her sportsmanship, work ethic and integrity all rise above her athletic ability… She’s consistently risen her skill and leadership during her time with us. North soccer is a better program today and better positioned for the future because of the energy and time Lauren put into the North program.”

Since the end of the soccer season, Barker has shifted her attention back to basketball. She has college offers from NAIA Bethel and Division III Franklin for basketball, but hasn’t ruled out playing both basketball and soccer at the next level.

Barker owns a 4.2 GPA and wants to go into business, with an emphasis in real estate or marketing.

“My first choice would be to play basketball in college, and I think I will pursue that,” Barker said. “Potentially at a Division III school, I could do both soccer and basketball, so I’m contemplating doing that. At NAIA schools, it’s harder to do that because their seasons overlap. I haven’t fully decided.”

If this was the end of her soccer career, she isn’t looking back with any regrets.

“It’s bittersweet,” Barker said. “I’ve played soccer my whole life. Coach Young has always been a great coach for me, and I knew he would be coaching me here. Coach Young coached me for a year in club, and I just loved his coaching style, so to come here and play for him the past four years has been a blessing. He’s given so much back to this program, so I’m thankful that I’ve had the opportunity to play here and play with a great group of girls all four years. I would be happy with my career ending here if it did because of the memories I made and the success I had because of the people around me.”

The Republic All-Area Girls Soccer team:

Lauren Barker, Columbus North: The senior led the Bull Dogs with 16 goals and four assists.

Mallory Gilley, Columbus North: The senior posted six shutouts and allowed only 24 goals in 16 games.

Riley Schumm, Columbus North: The senior led a defense that allowed only 26 goals in 17 games.

Page Mora, Columbus North: The sophomore scored seven goals.

Norah Dwenger, Columbus East: The senior scored nine goals and led the Olympians with 10 assists.

Nadia Harris, Columbus East: The junior led the Olympians with 11 goals and had eight assists.

Allison Craig, Columbus East: The senior had two goals and one assist and led a defense that allowed only 17 goals in 17 games.

Anna Liimatta, Columbus East: The senior posted 49 saves, eight shutouts and a 1.59 goals-against-average.

Emma Myers, Trinity Lutheran: The senior set a school record with 41 goals and had 10 assists.

Abby McDonald, Jennings County: The senior led the Panthers with 10 goals and had four assists.

Maddie McIntosh, Jennings County: The sophomore netted four goals and three assists.

Honorable mention

Brown County: Alli Majors. Columbus East: Sydney Berkemeier, Ruth Federle, Kylie Hatcher, Hallie Randle. Columbus North: Amelia Corney, Anna Donica, Allison Kolhouse, Charlotte Loheide. Jennings County: Alayna Phillips. Trinity Lutheran: Samantha Enzinger, Kaydence Miller.