., MI — Kelila Rustin Senior, Forward/Midfield/Goalkeeper Kelila Rustin has been playing soccer since she was just 3 years old. Kelila played club soccer throughout middle school and has been a 4 year varsity starter in our program. Kelila will graduate from IHS in a few short weeks as one of the most decorated soccer players to ever come through our program. Some of her accolades (up to this point) are: all conference (2 years), all district and first team all area as a sophomore keeper, all county team as a junior, team mvp as a junior, 6th place all time MHSAA saves in a season as a sophomore, and many more to come. How has the game of soccer impacted your life? “Soccer started as something to do when I was bored but with time has become so much more. It’s given me teams to fight for, people to call my friends, and taught me lessons I will carry for the rest of my life.” What is your favorite thing about being involved with soccer? “Our culture. My favorite memory is from our recent game against Lansing Catholic. After the game, during our shoutouts, the center official, Doug, chimed into our team talk. He shared the growth he’s seen in our team, with the skill, the culture, and everything else overall. The moment hit hard as a senior because it reminded me of my team that will forever have a spot in my heart. Myself, and all the other girls have put a lot into this program and to be able to walk away this year knowing I was a part of that, means the world to me.” What other school activities are you involved in besides soccer? “National Honor Society, varsity voices, assist with middle school soccer and middle school choir as much as I can” Share a fun fact or two about yourself. “I’m highly interested in both crafting and film which leads me to making props for film and theater productions often. I also come from a family of teachers and have a strong passion for soccer so I would like to get into coaching” Coaches quote about Kelila: “When you have a player like Kelila come through a program you can see an impact for many years to come into the future. Every team and program strives to have a person like Kelila in their corner, and when someone like Kelila comes through, we embrace and enjoy every moment with her. Kelila embodies what it means to be a part of Ionia soccer. She’s involved, she’s committed, she’s a great leader, and is a tremendous teammate. AND it just so happens that she’s a really really good soccer player.