PALM HARBOR — Palm Harbor University junior striker Catherine Brinkman has two sisters who were very good soccer players.
One was a determined defender and master organizer from the back, one of the very best Pinellas County has seen, an all-county pick two seasons.
The other a slick-footed midfielder, arguably the most skilled of all the sisters, and the best player in the county in 2006-07. Chelsea and Kelly won a state championship as teammates in 2006. We will not compare them here. That has been done enough.
Just know that these were the big footsteps that Catherine had to follow in, that gave her great pressure, that provided her a season of angst as a freshman.
Now, it gives her great joy.
I am a Brinkman.
I am a champion.
• • •
When PHU won its fourth state championship in girls soccer Saturday, it completed the circle for Catherine Brinkman.
As a kid, she grew up playing a little of everything. Softball, volleyball, basketball, track.
Ultimately, she was drawn most to soccer.
She was eager to play in high school and was thrilled to make varsity as a freshman.
But not so thrilled by the reaction of others.
"Yeah, there was quite a bit of pressure you could say,'' Brinkman said. "Coming in as a freshman, I was told I was just on the team because I was a Brinkman, so having to come here and prove myself, that was a lot of work.''
Brinkman recalled seeing her name on the list of players that made the team.
"I worked my butt off, and then seeing my name on the list and knowing people were snickering behind me. … I heard it all the time, and my sisters heard it too,'' she said.
She didn't start right away, fueling the negativity.
Soon, though, she became a regular.
Soon, the snickering stopped.
"I don't think I ever worked as hard as I did freshman year, and I've kept it up,'' she said. "I definitely changed as a player. I think I owe a lot of that to those people that talked about me, because maybe I wouldn't have tried as hard if I had just gone in there and coasted along.''
This year, Catherine Brinkman broke through. A knack for anticipating where the ball is going, an ability to get the ball to the floor quickly and a nose for the goal led to 35 goals as she anchored a young, talented team.
"You gotta hand it to her for doing what she does, working the way she does,'' PHU coach John Planamenta said. "It is like she wants to prove people wrong. Sometimes, that's all the motivation you need.''
• • •
Catherine Brinkman scored the first goal in the state semifinals against Satellite Beach, and teammates Cina Salemi and Heather Mariscal finished off the Scorpions with scores of their own to send the Hurricanes into the title game against the defending Class 5A champion, Lakeland George Jenkins.
That glorious night, Brinkman again scored first and — after Anja Decker's tie-breaking goal — last, to seal PHU's fourth state championship.
To win both games in such dominating fashion was a testament to a stifling and steady defense, a midfield that was uphill for opponents but downhill for the PHU offense, young talented scorers and the brilliance of Planamenta, who is the best at what he does.
And Brinkman.
They chortled when she made the team; now they cheer.
There were big footsteps that Catherine Brinkman had to follow in.
But no more.
I am a Brinkman.
I am a champion.
John C. Cotey can be reached at johncotey@sptimes.com
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