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Hardships don't hinder Lecanto's Henry

Senior Crysta Henry overcomes personal challenges to be a key Panthers leader.

By DAWN REISS
Published January 26, 2006

	[Times photo: Will Vragovic]
	Crysta Henry, who has dealt with illness and death in her family, moved to defender this year.

LECANTO - Each game, Crysta Henry patiently waited for a chance to start.

Three years came and went. She was brought up to the varsity as a freshman, but that time seems so distant now.

Henry, now a Lecanto senior, wasn't sure if the right time would ever come.

Coach Kevin Towne, looking around at his nearly empty backfield and midfield, knew there was a spot for her. Henry, 18, had played forward and midfielder her entire career, but when defensive guru Willie Bulgin approached Towne about making Henry a defender, they both agreed it was the right decision.

In the first game of the season against Class 6A Mitchell, Henry got her chance to start. "It was a little nerve-racking at first," she said. "But after the third game, things just felt right and ever since then I've felt more comfortable."

But a lot has happened since then. Henry's mother, Deb, became sick, her great-grandmother died, and on Sunday, her uncle, Jay Henry, 57, died after he was thrown from his all-terrain vehicle.

"I arrived after the fact," said Henry, who lives in Homosassa. "My cousin was the first. We came later me and my dad came later. It was hard. He was a second dad to me. He was an extremely loving person."

Henry said it has been more difficult because her family, her uncles and several other relatives live in four houses that are next to each other on nearly 15 acres of property in Homosassa.

Though Henry said she doesn't want to talk about her mother's illness, which isn't terminal but needs ongoing treatment, she has stayed strong and focused on the field.

"She's been the best leader on the team," Towne said. "She never was a very integral part on the field, but once we put her back in defense it changed. It just took her that long to find her place."

Despite her personal challenges, Towne said Henry has channeled her anger into positive results on the field.

"She just has a will to win this year, to not give up," Towne said. "Even with everything in her life, she's been so strong. I'm impressed that she's had the maturity she has to cope with her adversity."

Henry said her older cousin, Amanda Smith, who graduated from Land O'Lakes two years ago and now plays goalie for PHCC, has helped her learn how to set goals before each game to play more focused.

"Anger, hurt, I have a lot of strong feelings," she said. "But they help me play."

Teammate Megan Olszewski said you'll never hear Henry complain. "She's such a trouper," Olszewski said. "Even though she's been through a lot this year."

Henry, an honors student, said she doesn't plan on playing soccer in college, but hopes to work in fish and wildlife enforcement after getting her college degree.

For now, she is concentrating on today's playoff game against state champion Nease.

Towne is just happy to have her on the team.

"She still amazes me," Towne said.

[Last modified January 26, 2006, 01:01:17]