During the winter sports season, Findley plays basketball for Parma Senior High School while honing her skills in her favorite sport, soccer.
However, it is what Findley does in the fall season that attracts the most attention. Findley plays on Parma’s soccer team and on Friday nights, she doubles as the field goal and extra point kicker for the football team.
"It’s kind of demanding, but I’m used to playing soccer all year round," Findley said after a 2-0 Parma soccer victory over Painesville Riverside on Monday. "I play basketball and soccer at the same time, so I’m kind of used to it by now. I get pretty good grades, so I try to manage it."
Findley, a senior at Parma, has played soccer since her parents enrolled her in a rec league at the age of 7. She entered the world of Ohio high school football two years ago after a chance meeting with some of the team. Once Findley showed her skills, she met with Parma football coach Rob Cyr.
"The summer before last, I was just up for workouts at soccer in the morning," she said. "I was walking by and some of the guys were kicking. They asked me to come try it because they knew I played soccer. I tried and could actually do it. Coach approached me and asked me if I’d be interested."
While she was excited about the prospects of playing high school football, those around her were a little more nervous about putting the 5-foot-5 Findley in pads.
"I hated it, didn’t want her to do it," said Parma girls soccer coach Gene Farrell. "Actually, she didn’t want to tell me she was doing it. Our soccer program in four years, the four years Sandy’s been here, has taken a big step up. Obviously, the girls around her help, too. She has a very good group of girls around her too, but being the leader she is and as well as she plays any game she plays, I was very worried. I didn’t want her getting hurt and didn’t want her to play football, period.
"I’m still nervous every time she walks out there," he added. "She looks so little compared to the rest of them, but when she kicks the ball, she’s very good. Coach Cyr is very protective of her, and so are the guys. They’re not going to let anybody hit her, which I like. She probably could take the hit, but I don’t want her to. Even after soccer’s over, I don’t want it. She’s just a great kid."
In Week 1, Findley kicked a 37-yard field goal to beat Midpark 26-23. The football team currently sits at 5-3 overall and 2-1 in the Northeast Ohio Conference Lake Division. The Redmen are ninth in the Harbin Computer Rankings, which determine the playoff participants.
Parma is in Division I, Region I with state powers Cleveland St. Ignatius, Solon and Mayfield, among others. Over the last two weeks, the Redmen moved from 14th to ninth in the standings. In addition to handling its business, Parma got a boost from its secondary points. The secondary points are earned based on the success of one’s opponents.
"Hopefully, the football team wins our last couple of games," said Findley. "I know we’re playing (Valley) Forge in our last game, so hopefully, we’ll play strong then. In soccer, we’re playing Walsh in the next round of the playoffs, so we’re hoping to play strong."
Playing strong against Walsh Jesuit on Thursday night will not be an easy task. Though Parma is 15-1-1 overall, Walsh Jesuit’s winning tradition speaks for itself. The Lady Warriors have made it at least to the regional semifinals the last seven seasons. They won Ohio High School Athletic Association Division I state championships in 2004 and 2006 and made appearances in the state "Final Four" in 2002, 2003 and 2007.
For the soccer team to be successful, Findley needs to be at her best.
"She’s just a great athlete," said Farrell. "To soccer, what a group of seniors we have. She was an incredible leader for them. She probably puts in double the running on the field as the other girls. You just watch her play and kind of get lost in watching her and don’t realize just how much she really does.
"I don’t rest her at all," he added. "Very seldom is she out of one of our games. We’re either way ahead or way behind. That’s the only time that I’ll sit her. She is so physically prepared for everything that I really don’t believe she gets fatigued. She may get a little mentally fatigued, but you’ll never see it on the field."
Matt Florjancic currently works as a freelance reporter and sports show host for WOBL and WDLW.
