O Captain, My Captain: Kayla Beaver and the Lady Eagle’s Soccer Team

Written by: Katie Tuggle

Although some may know her as the girl with a passion for Ralph Lauren fashion and her infectious smile, she is also one of the strongest leaders on the women’s soccer team.  Born and raised in Wichita, Kansas, captain Kayla Beaver was drawn to Oklahoma Wesleyan University because of the Christian atmosphere and fairly short distance to her hometown.  Captain Beaver has served as a crucial player her freshman and sophomore seasons for the Lady Eagle’s soccer team.

Following the record-breaking season of 2017, the Lady Eagle’s continued to set the bar high during the 2018 season. One of the main aspects to the Lady Eagle’s success was number 16, outside back Kayla Beaver. Finishing with a record of 12-4-1 and ending the season as the NCCAA National Runner-ups, the Lady Eagle’s displayed fantastic “heart and dedication,” says Beaver. Her outstanding work ethic and positivity are traits that make her stand out as a teammate and a leader.

Teammate Rachel Lamb says, “Kayla is definitely one of the hardest working players on the team. You will see her doing her best, even if it’s just a fun game. She is super positive to everyone.” This attitude is currently being reflected in Beaver’s status as a captain of the Lady Eagle’s soccer team. Beaver was appointed as one of three captains this year, alongside seniors Danielle Uptain and Taylor Gross. Although being the youngest captain, Beaver carries herself with strength and insight beyond her years.

Beaver’s positivity, dedication, and intelligence also correlate into her future goals for herself. Currently a biology major, Beaver strives to be a doctor one day to help as many people as possible. Beaver has admirable goals for the Lady Eagles as well: “Next season, I feel like the combination of freshmen from my first season becoming upperclassmen and freshmen from last year understanding what it takes to get to where we need to be will allow us to have an amazing opportunity to make it back to the NAIA National Championships, go back to back in conference tournament championships, and return to conference regular season champions.”

Overall, Kayla Beaver has started a very successful collegiate soccer career, earning 1st team KCAC All-Conference, 2nd Team KCAC All-Conference, and 1st team All-Region honors. She hopes to continue making history as a team and as an individual. The best advice Beaver has for anyone looking to be successful in athletics is to “see the positivity in everything because there will be difficult days, weeks, and seasons.”