Sagan propels CSUS

When Charlotte Sagan tore all of her ligaments in her left ankle in a freak trampoline accident during the middle of her seventh-grade year, one of the first things that crossed her mind was whether she could ever get back to the form that made her a standout soccer player. Four years later, that question has been answered with a resounding yes. Sagan, an attacking midfielder for the Crystal Springs Uplands School girls' soccer team, scored a pair of goals in two wins last week, including the game-winner in a 1-0 decision over Pinewood last Thursday. For her efforts, Sagan is the Daily Journal's Athlete of the Week. "Charlotte has really had to step up and take a strong role and fill some big, big shoes," Gryphons coach Mike Flynn said, referring to Sagan moving from a drop-back midfielder last year to a more attacking role this season. "I had a talk with her at the beginning of the season telling her that this is going to be her team now, and she's taken her leadership responsibilities and done well with them." Even though Sagan is a junior, Flynn named her one of the team captains. It's a testament to Sagan's positive attitude, hard-working ways and overall skill set. Sagan has scored a goal in seven of her team's last eight games. Her scoring strike in the 46th minute against Pinewood was a thing of beauty, an indirect free kick outside the 18-yard box that Sagan bent around the Pinewood wall to the far lower corner. But it was Sagan's goal in a 2-0 win over Mercy-San Francisco last Tuesday that she enjoyed the most. On the tally, Sagan planted herself strongly in front of the Mercy goal before heading a corner kick into the net. "Any time you score that way it's really exciting," she said. "It was definitely the highlight of my week." The highlights have been occurring more frequently in the last month, coinciding with Sagan gaining more confidence in her role with each passing game. Sagan has assumed the role that was played by former CSU standout Rachel Madding the last couple of years. "I was excited to move up to an attacking midfielder because it meant more scoring opportunities," she said. "It did take a little getting used to, but Rachel helped me a lot last year (which made the transition this season smoother)." Flynn has noticed Sagan getting more and more comfortable at her position. "Especially with putting more balls on frame from the outside," he said. "She's really ramped it up and put quality shots on goal. She's really good with the ball at her feet, likes to take players (one on one) and when she beats a player, it opens things up for us on the attack." But it's Sagan's work ethic that Flynn appreciates most about his standout. "She just works her tail off in practice," he said. Sagan takes pride in always hustling, a trait she displayed when she first started playing soccer at age 5. "I really try hard," Sagan said. "I'm always so excited when I'm out there on the field. I really get into it." It shows. Flynn said Sagan hustles and fights for every ball, displaying a controlled aggressiveness that characterizes most elite level soccer players. Sagan didn't play as a freshman because CSU didn't have a soccer team due to lack of numbers. Even though Sagan still had a club season, she thoroughly missed the chance to play high school soccer. When Sagan suited up for her first-ever prep game as a sophomore, she could hardly contain her excitement. "Getting on that field reminded me how much I missed soccer," she said. "Crystal Springs is a small school, so there's always a chance things might not work out. It wasn't so much as a surprise there wasn't a team as it was disappointing." But the wait was clearly worth it. Sagan plays the game as if her salvation depends on it. Perhaps it's because the game was nearly taken away from her after that freak accident while jumping on a trampoline four years ago. Sagan said she was jumping on a trampoline when it caved in, shattering her ankle. Sagan tore all of her ligaments and had to rehabilitate her ankle for four grueling months. "It crossed my mind if I was going to be able to recover to the point where I was," Sagan said. "I was definitely worried." The physical reminders of the injury are still there -- Sagan still wears an ankle brace whenever she plays and said her ankle will never be as strong as it once was -- but it was the mental trauma that was a harder barrier to overcome. After rehabbing for four months, it took Sagan a while to feel fully comfortable on the field. It was natural for Sagan to wonder whether she could come back and be the player she once was. Judging by her production this season, it's apparent Sagan is back and better than ever. "Coming back from the injury was tough in the beginning because I was so much slower than the other girls and my touch was not what I wanted it to be," Sagan said. "But every year since then I feel I've gotten stronger. I definitely feel stronger this year. As a captain I'm more comfortable coaching younger girls who might not have as much soccer experience. (The injury) was a tough thing to go through, but it told me how much I enjoyed the game because I missed it so much."