ABOVE: Addison Folkerts prepares for a goal kick during Tuesday night's contest against St. Peter at Jeffery Kot Fields.

FAIRMONT – Patience is key for any athlete looking to play at the varsity level, regardless of the sport they participate in. Through hard work and dedication, coaches look for individuals to climb their way through the program’s ranks, developing and honing skills until they are ready to make the leap to varsity.

This is exactly what goalkeeper Addison Folkerts has done during her time with the Fairmont Area girls soccer team. The junior has earned her way on head coach Matt Nielsen’s starting lineup after growing in her position year in and year out.

Despite playing the sport since a very young age, Folkerts journey to goalkeeping started in sixth grade during her 12U season. Nielsen, who coaches that age group in the spring for fun, asked his team who was interested in playing the position. Folkerts, coincidentally, jumped on the opportunity and never looked back.

“Matt asked us when he was our 12U coach who all wanted to play. “He kind of told some of the shorter people you could do it, but it might not be the best,” Folkerts said with a smile. “So then I was really the only one left.”

But this wasn’t the only reason Folkerts continued with the new position.

Over the years, she has fallen in love with this specific role on the soccer field outside of just merely preventing goals. Using her vision and voice, Folkerts is responsible for calling out different defensive formations depending on the opposing team’s offensive pursuit.

She can see the blind spots in case any of her teammates miss an opposing player moving down the field unchecked.

“I don’t think I could play anywhere else, I love goalie so much,” Folkerts said. “I can see all of the field and can help people. I can see things that other people can’t see on the field. I also like how I have my time to shine while also being a little more calm at times.”

Folkerts earned her stripes on both the C squad and junior varsity teams, being the main goalkeeper for the roster while honing and developing her skills through experience.

Nielsen says her working through the ranks while gaining in-game repetitions has been one of the key reasons for her growth. With Folkerts being the only keeper in her grade, she has put in an excess amount of hard work and dedication to hopefully earn her way on varsity.

“Addie was C Squad keeper for seventh and eighth grade,” Nielsen said. “Then she was the JV keeper for ninth grade and the JV keeper for 10th grade. Those games [C Squad and JV], you play to win, but they are non-consequential. And then, varsity, so she was ready to go.”

Now, in 2025, Folkerts is the main face in front of the net for Fairmont. She learned quickly that, despite her plethora of experience in the lower levels, varsity soccer was a different animal.

“The players are much faster and their shots more accurate,” Folkerts said. “It’s crazy the difference between JV and varsity shots.”

This caused an early learning curve for Folkerts to begin the season.

In her first couple of games, she realized the needed improvement on the mental side of the game, knowing different communication patterns with her defense while correctly timing when to charge any incoming opposing players.

Ultimately, just like her entire career, Folkerts made it a mission to improve.

Working with assistant coach Dominick Driano during practice and before games, she has honed these technical skills while simultaneously increasing her confidence in front of the net.

“Our coach Dom has helped me a lot on 1 v 1’s and when to go out and pressure them and when to stay back,” Folkerts said. “He’s also helped me a lot with goal kicks, which helps with distributing so I don’t get as many shots towards me.”

This has completely changed the Cardinals defense over the past 10 games.

Fairmont has given up just one goal per game and pitched four shutouts during that stretch. While the number of goals the opponent scores aren’t solely on the player in front of the net, the confidence Folkerts has played with as of late is a big reason for the unit’s recent success.

“She’s been so level headed, and hasn’t really changed who she is as a person whether we win or lose,” Nielsen said. “She gets that not everything is on her shoulders and that it’s a team thing … I’ve been really proud of how she’s stepped up this year.”