Joshua Carney/Post Independent file
When it came to where she wanted to continue her burgeoning soccer career, Glenwood Springs senior captain Celia Scruton knew exactly what she was looking for.
It had to feel like home, and it had to have a family environment: two things that played large roles in her rapid development in the Demons’ program.
She believes she’s found that at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Scruton signed her national letter of intent during the holiday break in December to join the Geoducks under the tutelage of head coach Steve Schmidt.
“I verbally committed in August, but we made it official as soon as we could,” Scruton said shortly after her signing. “I chose Evergreen because I loved the team and the coach and the community that they have built within their team.
“It felt like home. I wanted to like where I live and really invest in this next step, and I believe I’ve done that with Evergreen.”
Provided
The Geoducks are sure glad she picked Olympia, because the program is welcoming one of the best high school-level fullbacks in the state of Colorado into its ranks.
The all-state caliber defender has played a key role in leading the resurgence of Glenwood’s girls soccer program in recent years, helping the Demons’ defense clamp down on teams and leading to multiple state playoff runs, including a magical run to the semifinals in 2018.
“We knew pretty early on [she was a special player],” Evan Segal, a former Glenwood Springs assistant coach, said of Scruton. “Going back to freshman year, she was very vocal, passionate and a determined competitor.
“It’s tougher to teach players [to be like Celia]. You can develop them, but players have it or they don’t, and Celia had it right away.”
By the end of her junior year last season, teams stopped attacking her, “because they just knew,” Segal said.
“This is a kid who wants to play, wants to shut down other teams’ attacking players. And so it was awesome for us coaching, because we knew we had an awesome player. Now, it was about developing her.”
It took Scruton longer to realize her talents and find her voice as a leader. But she had a great role model in older sister, Nina, who captained the Demons in 2016 and 2017.
“My freshman year playing with Nina, she taught me how to be a captain and lead the team,” Scruton said. “That was huge for me, because she helped me find myself as a player and find my voice.”
Scruton’s energy, intensity and overall passion for the game has raised the level of preparation and focus for the Demons, turning the program into a powerhouse in 4A.
“She’s the heartbeat of the team,” former Glenwood Springs head coach Joe Calabrese said. “With her being vocal, the energy and passion that she brings, it sets a tone and a culture of high energy.
“It encompasses all that she is as a player. She really gets people energized pumped up for games. That’s who she is, and you can’t teach that.”
Segal said that unique characteristic has always been present with Scuton.
“She’s just really passionate,” he said. “She’s always been willing to grab her teammates by the jersey collar and drag them to success with her.
“… From a vocal leadership standpoint, she is and was the spark that drove a lot of her teammates to perform better than they thought they could. That was really, really invaluable.”
Scruton will likely be an attacking outside back, like she currently is in high school. Off the field, she’ll major in ceramics and minor in business. The love and interest in ceramics comes from four years of pottery classes in high school.
Now that the recruiting process is over and her next home is set, Scruton can focus on leading the Demons back to the state playoffs while playing in front of her younger sister, Abby, Glenwood’s standout goalkeeper.
“A lot of stress has been taken off my shoulders,” Scruton said. “I know where I’m going, I’ve been accepted and I have a plan. All I have to do now is enjoy my last year [in high school] and continue my leadership.”
