Patience will be the theme for the 2026 Lakeside Girls Soccer team.
Entering his fifth season, coach Aaron Chamberlain knows this year’s success won’t be measured solely by wins and losses. Instead, the Dragons are embracing a long-term approach built around player development, experience, and laying the foundation for future success.
After finishing 4-12-1 a season ago and falling to Rocky River in the opening round of the Division III tournament, Lakeside returns six starters while introducing a wave of young talent. In fact, nearly half of the varsity roster will be made up of freshmen.
That youth presents challenges, but it also gives Chamberlain plenty of reasons for optimism.
“We have a lot of potential for growth,” Chamberlain said. “Half of our roster are freshmen, and most of our returning players were new to soccer last year. If these newcomers work hard, we can work towards improvement later in the season.”
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Replacing the Irreplaceable
The Dragons face a daunting task after graduating Evelyn Stein, a player who anchored the defense while also leading the team offensively.
Rather than searching for a direct replacement, Chamberlain believes the solution lies in becoming a more complete team.
“She was a stellar defender and also our leading scorer,” Chamberlain said. “She is literally impossible to replace. Instead, we will have to improve our technical skill and team play rather than relying on someone who always seemed to be whatever we needed.”
That philosophy places an even greater emphasis on collective improvement throughout the roster.
Young Core Ready for Bigger Roles
Leading the returning group is junior forward Baileigh Wimer, a Second Team All-CVC selection who scored six goals last season after being asked to sacrifice offensive opportunities for the good of the team.
As a freshman, Wimer exploded for 13 goals before moving into a more defensive role in 2025.
“Baileigh led the team as a freshman with 13 goals,” Chamberlain said. “She took a step back last year because we had to pull her back to shore up our defense. Hopefully, we can get her the ball up top again this season.”
Sophomore Keeley Hopson returns after serving as the Dragons’ starting goalkeeper, but her athleticism may allow Lakeside to become more versatile this season.
“While she will still see plenty of time in the net, we think she has a lot of potential to use her speed and a strong left foot to make an impact as an offensive midfielder,” Chamberlain said.
Defensively, sophomore Mal Tucker gives the Dragons another promising young building block. Tucker scored two goals as a freshman while proving she can contribute on both ends of the field.
“Mal was a solid defender as a freshman last season, even showing that she could carry the ball forward from the back line and provide some offense,” Chamberlain said.
Defining Success Differently
For Chamberlain, success won’t simply be reflected on the scoreboard.
Instead, the Dragons are focused on becoming a stronger, more connected team while giving valuable varsity minutes to a roster filled with underclassmen.
“Our biggest strength is our potential for future success, embodied in our young players,” Chamberlain said. “We plan to give them a lot of playing time, which should pay future dividends as they grow.”
That developmental approach aligns with the goals the coaching staff has established from the opening day of preseason.
“We will measure success this year not by our win total, but by our ability to grow as a team, to improve as individual players, and to remain a cohesive group that works together to achieve the goals we set,” Chamberlain said.
Even simply having enough healthy players available every night would represent meaningful progress after an injury-plagued 2025 campaign.
“We played shorthanded nine out of 17 games last season,” Chamberlain said. “If we can put a full team of 11 on the field this year, with a couple of reserves on the bench, we will see this as a victory and an improvement over last year.”
The results may not come overnight, but with six returning starters, a talented sophomore class and an influx of freshmen, the Dragons hope the lessons learned this fall will serve as the foundation for brighter seasons ahead.
2026 Outlook
Lakeside is one of the youngest teams in the CVC, making this season as much about development as immediate results. If the Dragons can stay healthy, regain Wimer’s scoring punch, and accelerate the growth of a talented freshman class, they’ll leave 2026 positioned to take significant strides in the years ahead.
