When watching the Western Nevada Community College soccer team, there's no doubt that No. 18 is a leader on the field - during the game and after.
That was apparent last Thursday after the Wildcats saw their 1-0 halftime lead evaporate into a 2-1 defeat against Salt Lake Community College at Edmonds Sports Complex. Captain/sweeper Dominique Gloude called the team together for a meeting on the field and clearly addressed the importance of having the desire to win ... coming ready to play ... and then playing hard for the entire 90 minutes.
That's Gloude - pronounced Glue-day - a young lady very passionate about soccer who has emerged as an emotional and physical leader for the fledgling WNCC team that played Shasta to a 1-1 tie in Redding, Calif., on Tuesday. Valuable? No doubt.
"Oh, yeah, extremely valuable," WNCC coach Hillary Arthur said of the freshman defender from Las Vegas. "She's just a great leader. The girls all listen to and respect her."
Gloude can be heard constantly on the field communicating with her teammates and motivating them. She is a leader by example as well.
Consider one sequence on Saturday when WNCC rebounded for a 3-2 victory against Southern Idaho College. The Wildcats led 1-0 late in the first half when Southern Idaho's Grace Miramontes broke free on a run up the middle of the field, but she never got an opportunity to take a one-on-one shot against goalkeeper Rachelle Goulet. Instead, Gloude raced back and not only broke up the run, but gained and maintained possession of the ball.
Moments later, the Wildcats put the ball in play on a throw-in, Jessica Maule took it to the middle and fed a through ball inside the box that teammate Savannah Gray ran down and pushed past the Southern Idaho goalkeeper for a score that made it 2-0.
Making the effort all the more impressive, Gloude has been slowed by a groin injury she sustained on Sept. 1 in WNCC's home debut against Feather River. She still plays with a wrap on her right leg.
"She's injured and she can still do all this," Arthur said.
There's no doubt Gloude knows the game. She played youth and club soccer in Las Vegas and played three varsity seasons for a Silverado High squad that twice advanced to the Southern 4A semifinals (they lost on penalty kicks in 2004) - along with current WNCC teammates Phalon Mauntel and Goulet.
"We've been playing together the last four years, and we've either played together or against each other since grade school, and that helps a lot," said Gloude, who was an All-Sunrise Region defender her senior season in 2004-05.
All three decided to sign with WNCC in April after the end of their high school season. Why Carson City?
"This was a good way to make the transition of leaving home," Gloude said. "I want to be a psychologist. That's what I came here to do - to play soccer and get a career going."
Gloude would like to try and play soccer at a four-year school.
"If I got the opportunity, that would be awesome," she said.
The potential is there, according to Arthur, herself a four-year starter at Humboldt State and an assistant coach at Chico State before taking the post at WNCC.
"She definitely has the talent and ability to play at the higher level," said Arthur, who played four years as a starter at Humboldt State and served as an assistant coach at Chico State before coming to Carson City. "She's very strong, she's quick, fast and she's very consistent."
If not, Gloude is focused on her goal to become a psychologist. Who knows, she might even coach someday.
"Definitely. If I got the opportunity to coach, that would be awesome," she said. "If I can't play anymore, I would love to do that."
Offense may get the glory, but Arthur describes Gloude as a "rock" on the field for the Wildcats (5-5-3).
"She's our voice out there on the field," Arthur said. "She keeps everything really organized in the back. They're solid back there and she's a big reason for that."
n Contact Dave Price at dprice@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1220.