Overland Girls Soccer Team
The Overland girls soccer team all wear hijabs — or headscarves — to support senior midfielder Samah AIdah, bottom left, who was told by a referee that she wear her hijab in a game for “safety reasons.” The team showed up to the next game wearing them. (Photo courtesy Overland girls soccer).
The Overland girls soccer team all wear hijabs — or headscarves — to support senior midfielder Samah AIdah, bottom left, who was told by a referee that she wear her hijab in a game for “safety reasons.” The team showed up to the next game wearing them. (Photo courtesy Overland girls soccer).

The win-loss record might say 0-7, but coach Alicia Montgomery wouldn’t trade her Overland girls soccer team for bunch for any that’s 7-0.

Montgomery’s pride in her Trailblazers comes partially from their gradual improvement on the pitch, but primarily for the type of team its proven to be early in the year.

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Overland senior Samah Aidah, wearing her hijab, chases the ball during a game at Rangeview on March 19. (Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel).

At a game in the first week of the season, senior midfielder Samah Aidah was told by a referee that she couldn’t wear her hijab — or headscarf — during a game, so her Overland teammates showed up at the next game all wearing headcoverings in support of Aidah, who is required to wear the hijab as a Muslim.

A picture sent out over social media went viral of the team backing Aidah in a show of teamwork that absolutely blew away Trailblazers head coach Alicia Montgomery when she saw it happen.

“Overland is very diverse in population and that just shows you what Overland is all about,” Montgomery said March 19 after the Trailblazers’ 6-1 loss at Rangeview.

“There’s a lot of school pride and doesn’t matter where you are from or what language you speak,” she added. “At Overland, these girls demonstrate it and they came together as a team. I was very proud of my girls, they showed maturity and team unity. I couldn’t be more proud of them, not even as players, but as people.”

Standing up for Aidah has made the girls soccer team a source of pride for the school and the community, regardless of its slow start on the field.

Even though the rugged Centennial League is ahead, Montgomery believes that the unity her team has demonstrated will begin to translate on the field.

Junior Ingrid Alvarez scored the team’s first goal of the season in the loss to Rangeview — which was a step forward — and Montgomery expects things to only improve.

“What’s really great and what I love about my team is they are thirsty for knowledge and they love the game,” she said.

“We definitely have a lot of challenges ahead of us, but knowing my girls, they meet challenges head on, so I’m not worried.”

Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel

Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor and photographer with Sentinel Colorado. A Denver East High School and University of Colorado alum. He came to the Sentinel in 2001 and since then has received a number...

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