What a Season for RHS Girls Soccer!
(Originally written November 2025)
Roseburg High School’s soccer teams have just wrapped up their season. The “Orange R” interviewed senior Elleen Miller, a captain on the girls’ varsity team, to reflect on their experience.
When asked about challenges the team faced this year, Miller explained: “I would not call it a major challenge, but typically younger programs struggle a little more than teams that are junior- or senior-heavy. We knew there would be quite a few strong underclassmen coming up, and we had some ups and downs when it came to learning each other's playing styles and adjusting to the intensity that varsity sports bring. But I cannot express enough how proud I am of all of my teammates for working their hardest for the team before themselves and for being willing to adjust in uncomfortable situations. It could have set us back a lot more if we had let it. My coach, Janelle Newton, helped a lot with this. She obviously pushed us in practice and conditioned us to be prepared for the speed of play and toughness it would take, but she also checked in with us all the time and held many team meetings where we had long conversations and celebrated with one another. We eliminated cliques that might have formed within our program and learned how to love every single girl as both an athlete and a regular human being.”
Miller emphasized that the team’s chemistry became one of their greatest strengths. As captain, she said she worked hard to make sure every player felt valued and connected, believing this made competing more enjoyable. On the field, she noted that the group “learned how to play with each other, not just beside each other. We knew each other’s tendencies, strengths, habits, and even quirks, and that understanding translated into real success during games.” Off the field, the team “laughed together, hung out after practices, and created memories that made soccer feel more like a family than a sport.” According to Miller, they spent more time together than with their actual families. They finished the season with an overall record of 6–3–6: a year defined not just by results, but by growth, unity, and resilience that will continue shaping the program moving forward. Roseburg’s team (the 22nd seed) also advanced to the playoffs and played against 11th-seed Tualatin