Off the FIELD with Anna Latimer
Monroe sophomore goalie
Favorite movie: "Kicking and Screaming"
Favorite TV show: "Parks and Recreation"
Favorite book: "The Mortal Instruments" series
Favorite musical group: The Lumineers
The best thing about Monroe is: Monroe is a big town that feels like a small town
Favorite thing to do off the field with teammates: Hanging out at team dinners
I can't live without: My friends
Non-athletic talent I have is: Being able to bend my thumb backwards
Non-athletic talent I would like to have is: Being able to do a flip
If I could meet two people from throughout history, they would be: William Shakespeare and Martin Luther King Jr.
One thing on my bucket list: Visit Australia
MONROE - Standing in front of the net can be a lonely feeling for a goalkeeper in a soccer showdown. Monroe High School sophomore Anna Latimer has adjusted to the added pressure of her position.
Latimer has an 84.7 percent save percentage this season and is averaging 11.5 saves per game. Latimer and the Cheesemakers' defenders have three shutouts this year during a 7-8-3 regular season.
"I like being goalie because I think it's fun being the last line of defense," Latimer said. "If the defenders mess up, I'm there, and if I mess up, the defenders are there for me. You have to know you can't stop everyone. You just have to remember that everyone makes mistakes. You have to keep going in the game."
The first two years for Latimer in the Rebel youth soccerprogram in Monroe came as a defender. She switched to goal keeper when she was about 10 years old and that is where she found a permanent home.
"I think I have improved on being more aggressive," Latimer said. "My coaches in high school have told me I need to protect 18 feet outside the box."
Latimer for two years has worked to improve her technique and quickness in goal.
"I have really worked on my technique and footwork," she said. "I used to be really slow in Rebel soccer."
Latimer has been using ladder footwork drills and shuffling and ladder work in front of the goal.
"It has improved my quickness from side to side so I can stop the shots away from me more," Latimer said.
Monroe went through a seven-game losing streak in the middle of the season that included six games without scoring a goal, including five straight.
"Anna's greatest traits are she has a short memory that forgets quickly and moves on," Monroe coach Kyle Kasten said. "Anna's resilient and has the determination, and she never quits."
Latimer is a vocal player who encourages defenders and other players in pressure situations in tight games.
Kasten said as a soccer coach he has had goalkeepers in previous years who have shown their frustration after giving up a goal.
"She always has a positive attitude, and if she gives up a goal she's confident that she will stop the next one and she moves on. That's pretty rare in a goal keeper."
Latimer said the Cheesemakers had to adjust at the start of the season because about 10 players from last year's team graduated, and they had a new coach to adjust to.
"Three of the teams in our conference are ranked in the top five in the state," Latimer said. "We have shown our improvement by winning a conference game when we didn't win one last year. We lost to Madison Edgewood by one goal and that really showed our improvement."
Kasten said Latimer rarely gives up a rebound for a goal.
"She has excellent hands," he said. "Opposing coaches are coming up to me after the game and are telling me how good Anna is. That's really big."
Latimer is a three-sport athlete. She also was on the Monroe-New Glarus swim team in the fall and played basketball in the winter. When she's not at practice or playing in a game, Latimer said her hobbies are hanging out and watching movies with friends. She works for the Monroe Parks and Recreation Department and also is a baby-sitter.
Before every game, Latimer does a choreographed handshake with sophomore teammate Emily Benzschawel.
"We got our handshake down at the start of the season," Latimer said. "It helps us get our energy up and gets us ready to play."
Monroe will play a WIAA Division 3 regional semifinal game against Mauston at 5 p.m. Thursday at Honey Creek Park.
"I believe we can win our first regional game," Latimer said. "We played Edgewood very well this year. We just have to come out strong and be aggressive going after the ball in the air. If we get down on ourselves, we don't play really well."
If Monroe beats Mauston, the Cheesemakers would likely face top-seeded Madison Edgewood in a regional championship game on Saturday.
"If we play really hard and are focused we can beat Edgewood," Latimer said. "We have a team with a strong defense."
If a regional game comes down to a shootout, Latimer will have confidence to draw on after playing in a double shootout in a 1-0 loss to Kaneland, Illinois, April 22 in the Monroe quadrangular.
"It's a lot of pressure," she said of a shootout. "I have faced that in our quad against Kaneland. It's really nice because I have the support of all of my teammates. It helps with the nervousness."
Latimer has an 84.7 percent save percentage this season and is averaging 11.5 saves per game. Latimer and the Cheesemakers' defenders have three shutouts this year during a 7-8-3 regular season.
"I like being goalie because I think it's fun being the last line of defense," Latimer said. "If the defenders mess up, I'm there, and if I mess up, the defenders are there for me. You have to know you can't stop everyone. You just have to remember that everyone makes mistakes. You have to keep going in the game."
The first two years for Latimer in the Rebel youth soccerprogram in Monroe came as a defender. She switched to goal keeper when she was about 10 years old and that is where she found a permanent home.
"I think I have improved on being more aggressive," Latimer said. "My coaches in high school have told me I need to protect 18 feet outside the box."
Latimer for two years has worked to improve her technique and quickness in goal.
"I have really worked on my technique and footwork," she said. "I used to be really slow in Rebel soccer."
Latimer has been using ladder footwork drills and shuffling and ladder work in front of the goal.
"It has improved my quickness from side to side so I can stop the shots away from me more," Latimer said.
Monroe went through a seven-game losing streak in the middle of the season that included six games without scoring a goal, including five straight.
"Anna's greatest traits are she has a short memory that forgets quickly and moves on," Monroe coach Kyle Kasten said. "Anna's resilient and has the determination, and she never quits."
Latimer is a vocal player who encourages defenders and other players in pressure situations in tight games.
Kasten said as a soccer coach he has had goalkeepers in previous years who have shown their frustration after giving up a goal.
"She always has a positive attitude, and if she gives up a goal she's confident that she will stop the next one and she moves on. That's pretty rare in a goal keeper."
Latimer said the Cheesemakers had to adjust at the start of the season because about 10 players from last year's team graduated, and they had a new coach to adjust to.
"Three of the teams in our conference are ranked in the top five in the state," Latimer said. "We have shown our improvement by winning a conference game when we didn't win one last year. We lost to Madison Edgewood by one goal and that really showed our improvement."
Kasten said Latimer rarely gives up a rebound for a goal.
"She has excellent hands," he said. "Opposing coaches are coming up to me after the game and are telling me how good Anna is. That's really big."
Latimer is a three-sport athlete. She also was on the Monroe-New Glarus swim team in the fall and played basketball in the winter. When she's not at practice or playing in a game, Latimer said her hobbies are hanging out and watching movies with friends. She works for the Monroe Parks and Recreation Department and also is a baby-sitter.
Before every game, Latimer does a choreographed handshake with sophomore teammate Emily Benzschawel.
"We got our handshake down at the start of the season," Latimer said. "It helps us get our energy up and gets us ready to play."
Monroe will play a WIAA Division 3 regional semifinal game against Mauston at 5 p.m. Thursday at Honey Creek Park.
"I believe we can win our first regional game," Latimer said. "We played Edgewood very well this year. We just have to come out strong and be aggressive going after the ball in the air. If we get down on ourselves, we don't play really well."
If Monroe beats Mauston, the Cheesemakers would likely face top-seeded Madison Edgewood in a regional championship game on Saturday.
"If we play really hard and are focused we can beat Edgewood," Latimer said. "We have a team with a strong defense."
If a regional game comes down to a shootout, Latimer will have confidence to draw on after playing in a double shootout in a 1-0 loss to Kaneland, Illinois, April 22 in the Monroe quadrangular.
"It's a lot of pressure," she said of a shootout. "I have faced that in our quad against Kaneland. It's really nice because I have the support of all of my teammates. It helps with the nervousness."
