Lejeune plays for La. ODP

Playing with and against some of the best players her age in the South earlier this month was a great experience for New Iberia Senior High soccer junior-to-be Kristen Lejeune.

Lejeune played for the Louisiana State Olympic Development (ODP) Soccer Team at Regional Camp at the University of Montevallo in Alabama from July 6-10, where the state’s 1991 team (the year of players’ births) went 3-0 for the first time.

“The ’91 girls had never won a game of at regional camp,” said Lejeune. “We were just looking to win the game first, and we did that and ended up going undefeated the whole time. It was pretty cool.”

Lejeune started all three games on a team that included players from around the state. Also on the squad were Callie Allbright of Baton Rouge, Megan Aultman of Baton Rouge, Cayla Chatman of Houma, Britni Crone of Houma, Miriam Henry of Monroe, Jessica Herradon of Houma, Morgan Hilton of Alexandria, Natalie Ieyoub of Lake Charles, Mallory Jenkins of Baton Rouge, Hannah Linzay of Cheneyville, Lindsey Luquette of Luling, Tabitha McReynolds of Zachary, Abby Post of Covington, Hannah Romig of New Orleans, Justine Russell of Shreveport, Alex Todd of New Orleans, and Lindsey Warren of Houma.

Raymond Lee of Shreveport coached the team and Nancy and John Warren of Houma were team managers.

The camp included high-level training and games against teams from other states in the region. Louisiana beat teams from Arkansas, South Carolina and Mississippi at the camp.

“It was a very wonderful learning experience,” said Lejeune. “I got to meet some wonderful people. There were coaches from around the United States.

Lejeune said that while she played well, “I guess I could’ve played better. Of course, when you play with the best people in Louisiana, you know you can always work to get better.”

The team was somewhat different from last year’s 1991 ODP squad that she played for, said Lejeune.

“Last year we played in the regional camp,” she said. It wasn’t as good as this year.

“There were a lot of new people. We had a really good team last year, too.”

Lejeune said she doesn’t know if there will be an ODP team for her age group next year.

“Normally it stops at my age,” she said. “I don’t know of if they will have one for my age.”