By Matt LeCren
For the Bugle
Benet sophomore Kate Flynn was leaning toward playing club soccer this spring before ultimately deciding to return to the Redwings.
Flynn, a star defender, wanted to play one more season with her older sister, Erin, a senior forward.
“That was the main part of it just because she’s going to graduate and I’m going to be here alone next year,” Kate Flynn said. “And the rest of the team is really great, too. The team dynamic here is fantastic.”
Indeed, the Redwings got off to an 8-1 start, and the dynamic Flynn sisters are a major reason why.
“They are two players that I can always rely on,” Benet coach Gerard Oconer said. “I don’t even have to think twice about that lineup choice.
“I can count on them to always be solid. I never have to worry about them.”
Erin Flynn, who has committed to Division III Washington University, a prestigious academic school near St. Louis, is a four-year starter and one of the fastest players on the team.
She led the Redwings in assists the past two seasons and this year is tops in goals and assists. She already has six goals, triple her 2017 output. She also leads the team with eight assists.
She has scored three game-winning goals and assisted on three others.
“She is always so dangerous and always sets people up,” Oconer said. “She just couldn’t quite find that scoring touch last year and this year I think she’s starting to figure it out, especially in the last few games.”
Oconer played Erin Flynn, who is left-handed, at left back two years ago to utilize her speed on overlap runs before moving her back to her natural forward position last year. Kate, who always has played defense, replaced her at left back.
The Flynns, who reside in Woodridge, love playing together.
“We have a great dynamic on the field,” Erin said. “I love working with her on the outside.
“We just know each other because we’ve grown up with each other. Coach Oconer says that we know what each other is thinking, sometimes too well. I think we’re one step ahead of the other person.”
Both Flynns are small in stature but fleet of foot.
They are great passers and defenders yet not completely alike.
“I think our styles of play are a little different,” Kate said. “Erin is probably more comfortable on the ball and taking people on 1v1.”
Erin said Kate is a little louder.
“She’s very vocal and is not afraid to tell people what to do on the field, always in a nice way, of course, and she always has an outside run ready to go,” Erin said. “Kate also reads the field really well.
“She knows what is going to happen a couple plays before it does.”
Both girls are elite students. Erin, who loves math and science, scored a 34 on her ACT and plans to major in mechanical engineering. K
ate, who also is thinking about attending Washington, excels more in English and history but is just as big of a leader as Erin.
“Their leadership style is more by their actions,” Oconer said. “They’re not big vocal leaders but they are so well-respected by everyone on the team, so if they do say something, people listen.”
The Flynns aren’t completely alike. Kate is right-handed, which is fortunate because she was born without a left hand. She has tiny fingers and limited ability to grip things but copes so well that most people don’t even notice.
“It’s kind of like using two fingers to grip and I use my arm and wrist area more,” Kate said. “It’s not that much different (from normal), I feel like, and a lot of people don’t really notice it right away.
“Obviously my throw-ins aren’t as good as other people on the team but they’re fine. They work. I’m right-handed writing so everything academically is fine.”
Like most people, Oconer didn’t notice it.
“I can’t remember how long it took me to realize that,” Oconer said. “You would never know and nobody ever really brings it up.
“It hasn’t drawn her back at all. Obviously, she’s not going to be able to have as long a throw-in as other people but she’s not let that hold her back whatsoever to the people don’t even notice it.”
That inspires Erin.
“I think it is really cool that no one really notices it,” Erin said. “She does amazing things to make up for whatever she would be able to do with two full hands.”
Opponents trying to solve Benet’s defense have their hands full and Kate is a major reason why.
Oconer said her future is bright.
“Right now she is a phenomenal defender and her instincts are better than almost anyone we’ve seen come through our program,” Oconer said. “Her ability to read the space going forward offensively is something that separates her.
“I think her ability to serve the ball with a first touch, once she gets that cleaned up a little bit, she’s going to be so dangerous from that spot. That’s where Erin was so dangerous from that spot.”
Kate is part of a defense that has posted 10 shutouts in 15 games and she was most recently named to the All-Tournament second-team at the prestigious Naperville Invitational.
The Flynn sisters have contributed a lot to the Redwings but you will never hear them bragging about it.
“The great part about Erin and Kate is that you wouldn’t really know that they’re two of our top players,” Oconer said. “They are so humble, they carry themselves like they’re just like everybody else, so I think that’s one of the reasons why they are so well-respected.
“They don’t think they are above anybody else and they really try and help out their teammates. They are really good people in general.”