On Wednesday, February 4, Linganore High School (LHS) senior Charlotte Grimes officially signed her National Letter of Intent to play Division lll women’s soccer at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
Grimes has been playing soccer since she was 4 years old and has played with the FC Frederick youth soccer club and Alliance Soccer Club.
She played soccer all four years for LHS. In her junior year, she made varsity but unfortunately suffered from an injury after playing only two games. Grimes fortunately recovered for her senior year season.
Grimes chose Wilson because of its campus, as it looked pretty, and had environmental science: the major she was looking for.
“It was a good choice for me,” Grimes said.
Grimes’ mother, Jennifer Hansen-Grimes, shared the struggles Grimes has faced during her soccer career. She shared that Charlotte has had multiple injuries, and as a parent, she needed to make sure Grimes did not go back too quickly or get re-injured.
“Your health has to be first, and that’s hard when you’re an athlete and you really value what you do,” Hansen-Grimes said.
Hansen-Grimes shared a favorite memory about her daughter playing for Linganore.
“As a defense player she doesn’t get many opportunities to score goals… [but] she kicked it from the 45-yard line…[and] it took a funny bounce … and so she ended up scoring a goal,” Hansen-Grimes said.
Grimes herself does not have a specific favorite memory but has said, “I feel like all of it, and just finding like my people.”
Grimes has been a great team player by helping those who do not have as much experience in the sport. She encourages her teammates and helps those who need support or are falling behind.
“I’ve seen her … mentor[ing] and cheer[ing] on younger teammates or ones who may not have the same amount of experience that she has,” Hansen-Grimes said.
At LHS, Grimes serves as a team captain and one of two center defenders. LHS art teacher and girls varsity soccer coach Mike Heller calls Grimes “a true leader” with a “high soccer IQ.”
Heller also adds that Grimes has “the ability to quickly analyze the flow of the game.”
Heller gave Grimes a number of compliments during his Signing Day speech. He shared that she is “not only a strong player but also an exceptional teammate, positive and one of the program’s strongest motivators.”
She has “a relentless work ethic, consistent motivation on the field [and] helps elevate the entire team,” Heller said.
According to Heller, Wilson college is having an amazing player sent their way. Heller believes Wilson “would absolutely benefit from having Charlotte on the roster.“
Heller’ s final words at the ceremony demonstrate Grimes’ impact on team culture, both on and off the field.
“[Grimes] will be deeply missed at Linganore,” Heller said.
