For Ella Dannehy, the opportunity to compete in a soccer match against her mother was a lifelong dream. The journey to this moment was filled with challenges and obstacles, but she never lost sight of her goal.
Ella, the daughter of Adrienne Dannehy, the esteemed coach of Saratoga Springs girls’ soccer team, is currently in her final year at Colonie Central High School. She holds the position of the starting goalie and serves as a captain for the Wolf Pack girls’ soccer team.
During her early high school years, Ella had to overcome two hip surgeries to correct her hip dysplasia, a condition she was diagnosed with at a young age. Despite these setbacks, her determination and love for the game never wavered.
Colonie head coach Ryan Edson recognized Ella’s potential and resilience, promoting her to the varsity team as a freshman. However, it wasn’t until her junior year that she could fully participate, serving as the team’s backup goalie.
“Ella’s journey is a testament to her character. Her perseverance through her surgeries and her unwavering commitment to her team is truly inspiring,” said Edson. “She’s always been a hard worker and a positive influence on the team.”
Adrienne Dannehy shared, “Ella underwent PAO surgery on her hip right before her freshman year and had the same procedure on the other side six months later. She was out for around 18 months, and on crutches her whole ninth grade year. Despite these challenges, her passion for the game remained strong.”
When Ella was named Colonie’s starting goalie this year, it was only fitting that their season opener was against Saratoga Springs.
“Coach Edson informed me that our first game of my senior year would be against my mom’s team,” Ella Dannehy said. “As a former backup goalkeeper, this was my first game playing on varsity as a starter, and it was against my mom.”
The game on Sept. 5 saw Saratoga Springs secure a 3-1 victory over Colonie.
“It was a surreal experience,” Adrienne Dannehy said. “It was a mix of emotions, cheering for my team while they were scoring against my daughter. It was definitely a unique situation.”
Despite the loss, Ella and her teammates are looking forward to their rematch in the Suburban Council contest on Tuesday.
“Even though we lost 3-1, it was a great feeling to deny goals from my mom’s team,” Ella said. “I’m excited for our second match. I really want to beat her.”
The idea to play twice this season was proposed by Edson.
“I was surprised when coach Edson suggested a non-league game,” Adrienne Dannehy said. “It was a win-win situation. We needed extra non-league games, and it gave me a chance to watch Ella play.”
The rivalry between Saratoga Springs and Colonie girls’ soccer teams extends beyond Ella and her mom. Many of the Colonie players have known the Dannehys since kindergarten.
“When Colonie plays Saratoga, the games are always more passionate and intense,” Ella explained. “It’s not just personal for me. These are all my friends and some of them have known my mom since we were in kindergarten.”
Adrienne Dannehy had initially planned to step down as Saratoga Springs head coach during Ella’s later years in high school, so she could regularly attend her daughter’s games. However, Ella insisted that she wanted to play against her mom.
“I’ve been waiting for this,” Ella said. “It’s such a unique atmosphere. You don’t usually see kids getting to play against their mom, and I really wanted to play against her.”
Colonie is set to host Saratoga Springs on Tuesday at 4:15 p.m.
Disagree – It’s a conflict of interest and could create tension on and off the field.
Bad punctuation and grammar: disagree it’s not fair
Disagree: This isn’t right, there could be bias #conflictofinterest
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