Kennedy Bertsch was not a typical freshman when she joined the Naperville North girls soccer team last season.
That was evident even before tryouts started.
“I first saw Kennedy at our summer camp when she was a freshman, and I knew right away that she was going to be something special here at North,” Naperville North junior goalkeeper Olivia Ochsner said.
“It was just her personality in particular. She cares so much about the program, and you can see that every time she steps foot on the field.”
The old saying about being seen and not heard didn’t apply to Bertsch. The Huskies wanted to hear from the midfielder.
“She’s an incredible kid,” Naperville North coach Steve Goletz said. “She’s got such a good personality, such good balance of competitiveness but also just very easy to talk to as a teammate. She makes everybody feel welcome.
“There isn’t anybody on our team that wouldn’t respect and listen to the things that come out of Kennedy’s mouth during a game because they know she has the best interest of the team in mind. She’s got that charisma that people want to follow.”
Bertsch isn’t a captain, but the sophomore defensive midfielder has emerged as a physical and vocal linchpin for the Huskies by displaying a maturity beyond her years. That she has done so at such a tradition-rich program as Naperville North is impressive.
“She is super thoughtful in how she plays the game, not only tactically, but is always aware of where her teammates should be,” Goletz said. “She’s constantly asking questions to continue to get better in regards to her leadership.
“She has the respect of all of her teammates. There’s a lot of great kids on our team, so for a sophomore to do that is a pretty incredible thing.”
Ochsner, a three-year starter, is a veteran teammate who appreciates Bertsch’s leadership.
“Her drive is what makes her such a good leader and also her relationships with everyone else on the team,” Ochsner said. “She’s such a sociable person that she clicks with everyone right away.
“That definitely helped her grow into this role, and she’s just gotten better every single game.”
Bertsch returns the praise, saying the Huskies welcomed her with open arms.
“It was such a supportive environment that I felt so connected with everyone, so I was comfortable as soon as I came into the program,” Bertsch said. “I just try my best to communicate on the field, just little things to help my team out.
“But everyone is so supportive of each other. We’re always picking each other up, and if we don’t do our best, we just try to connect with each other because that’s what ultimately helps makes us successful.”
Bertsch has scored two career goals. One was the game-tying strike in a come-from-behind 2-1 win against Metea Valley that helped the Huskies secure the DuPage Valley Conference title last year.
But her role as defensive midfielder is geared toward doing the little things that often go unnoticed, like winning challenges in the air.
“I would say I’m pretty good at winning the ball in the air,” she said. “It’s one of my favorite things to do on the field. It’s a little thing, but it makes a big difference.”
Bertsch made a big difference as host Naperville North edged Oswego 1-0 on penalty kicks in the Naperville Invitational on Thursday.
She helped the Huskies (7-2-2) hold off the physical Panthers (13-2-1) in regulation before Ochsner stopped a penalty kick as North won the shootout 4-1.
Bertsch had to leave the game twice, once when a ball hit her in the face and once after she took an elbow to the gut, for which an Oswego player received a yellow card. Both times she returned within minutes.
“She gets beat up all the time in the middle, but that doesn’t stop her,” Ochsner said. “She never goes down easy, so when she got down, she got right back up.”
It’s all in a day’s work for Bertsch.
“I just try to be resilient,” she said. “You have to be resilient. Just get up if you happen to get knocked down because you’re doing it for your team, not just for yourself.”
That attitude endears Bertsch to her teammates.
“It’s amazing to have Kennedy on the team,” Ochsner said. “We’re so lucky to have her. Every time she steps onto the field, she makes an impact, so there’s nothing more that I could ask.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
