Most girls soccer players who are in seventh grade are trying to prove they can compete at the middle school level.
Not
Chloe DeLyser.
She was on the varsity squad at
Marion (N.Y.) and was making a name for herself not just locally and statewide but around the country. DeLyser tallied 28 goals in that first season. That was just a small sample of what was ahead.
Getting to play varsity soccer as a seventh-grader was an interesting experience for DeLyser.
"It was really scary at first but all the girls really accepted me pretty easily," she said. "I would say they were like, ‘Oh, no, this little seventh-grader.' But once they saw my ability with the ball, they accepted me right in."
This past season as a junior, DeLyser logged her best season, scoring a New York state-record 79 goals in just 20 games. She also surpassed the all-time state record for goals in a career, bringing her total to 260 with one season remaining. The national record for goals in a career is 316. That could certainly be attainable for DeLyser next season.
DeLyser has had a remarkable five-year run at Marion. She's a five-time Wayne County Player of the Year and Wayne County All-Star.
"My coaching colleagues see the same things that everybody else has seen since she was in seventh grade," said Marion girls soccer coach Lori DeLyser, who is also Chloe's cousin.
After putting up big numbers year after year, DeLyser consistently receives national honors.
She was one of 150 high school juniors named as Allstate All-Americans in December and will be considered for participation in the Allstate All-America Cup this summer in Orlando.
Former Major League Soccer and U.S. men's national team members Taylor Twellman and Brian McBride will join the likes of former U.S. women's national soccer team standouts and Olympic gold medalists Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain to coach and mentor these promising high school players at the event.
"It's really an honor because coming from such a small town it's not something you really expect to show off my little school, and how much work I've put in towards it is really awesome," Chloe DeLyser said.
Chloe DeLyser in action last November against Geneseo in the Section 5 Class C2 final.
Photo by: Chris Cecere
The 5-foot-4 striker couldn't be stopped on the field this season. Her speed and physicality help aid her prolific scoring.
"Her vision on the field is like no other," Lori DeLyser said. "Her first few steps are so explosive. Her moves she can do at top speed and she has the ability to get away from defenders."
Averaging four goals a game as a junior is an astounding stat. When DeLyser gets a shot at a goal, most of the time it's going in the back of the net.
"She's a smart and crafty player," Lori DeLyser said. "She always plays with her head up. She looks before she shoots, knows where the goal is. If the goalie's out, she'll chip it over her head. If the goalie's standing on the line, she'll take it as far as she can go and just pushes it past her."
Since she's so used to scoring, DeLyser likes to attempt to make every goal unique.
"It's a lot of fun but I try to not only like think about myself but try to get my other teammates a goal," said Chloe DeLyser, who scored 68 goals and 31 assists as a sophomore.
DeLyser loves getting her teammates involved in the action because she's close to them. Five of them are actually her cousins.
"I thought this was the most fun season because every time I scored my teammates, my cousins, they all celebrated with me and it was the best team I could have ever experienced all of that with," Chloe DeLyser said.
Playing at a small high school, DeLyser isn't always able to take on high-level competition. However, that changes when she plays club. Last summer for the first time, DeLyser suited up for the Western New York Flash, a semi-pro team. She was one of just a handful of high schoolers playing against college-age to ladies in their 30s.
"They were definitely bigger than me -- these were not girls, they were women," Chloe DeLyser said. "It made me have to use my vision of the game and my touch on the ball had to be way better, the speed of the play developed me into more of a better player."
Lori DeLyser saw her cousin have a stronger, more well-rounded season after her experience with the Flash.
"It makes her bigger, faster, stronger," Lori DeLyser said. "I went and watched her a couple times and it's amazing to watch her at even that level and find success."
DeLyser, 17, has a busy summer playing on the club circuit and with the Flash. An Ohio State University commit, DeLyser is trying to prepare herself for major Division I athletics.
"She wants to make an impact," Lori DeLyser said.
