Leanne Clarke

Team members: Melissa Bennett, Belinda Buttery, Leanne Clarke, Graeme Denton, Paul Huebel, Pamela Jardine, Jane Osborne, Gary Pennington, Scott Perry, Sonja Procaro, Esther Williams, Andrew Plimer

Leanne Clarke was an integral part of a Villa Joseph Marie defensive squad that gave up just four goals during their undefeated 2004 PIAA championship season.

Clarke, an 18-year old Langhorne resident, who was a captain for the 24-0 team, gave up a mere four goals at her position in her four years as a defender for the Jems.

"It was the best way to end our 24-0 season," said Clarke, of the PIAA state championship victory over Erie's Villa Maria."We couldn't ask for anything more."

For her efforts and successes inside the classroom and out on the soccer field, Clarke has been awarded a significant academic/soccer scholarship to Monmouth University in West Long Branch, N.J.

"The [Monmouth] coach came to my house before Thanksgiving, and it really made me feel like they wanted me there," said Clarke, who had a longtime goal to be part of a Division 1 soccer team, just like Monmouth's.She plans to major in math and possibly become a high school math teacher.

Despite the fact that her high school soccer career is over, Clarke keeps busy as a member of the FC Box travel soccer team and as a defender and captain for VJM's lacrosse team, which she has been a part of since her freshman year.

Leanne's younger sister, Kim, a sophomore at VJM, has followed very closely in her sister's footsteps.Kim, who has been playing soccer with Leanne since the two were young, filled in for her big sister when she tore her ACL in May of 2003.Shortly after Leanne returned from her injury, Kim endured the same ACL tear.

Finally, the two are on the VJM field together as members of the lacrosse team.

Kim just began playing lacrosse in January but has already undertaken the job as starting goaltender for the varsity team.Leanne, who feels very comfortable in her role as captain, plays defense for the Jems.
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Megan Manney, a VJM graduate and former teammate of Leanne's, is currently a junior soccer team member at Monmouth and once again will be a senior when Leanne is a freshman.
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"She took me under her wing my freshmen year [at VJM]," said Leanne."She used to calm me before every game because I was very nervous being a varsity starter as a freshman."Leanne's parents, Ron and Ruth, are their daughters' biggest fans, and got them involved in the sports they love today.Ruth, a former lacrosse and field hockey player, is currently the junior varsity lacrosse coach at VJM and Ron comes to watch all of Leanne and Kim's soccer and lacrosse games.

"My Dad will come watch me play (at Monmouth)," said Leanne, who thinks the one hour and 10 minute drive between home and Monmouth is the "perfect distance."