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“That’s What I Came Here to Do”: Helena Becher’s Path to College Soccer
A soccer coach told Helena Becher she needed speed training.
Three years later, she’s All-District, All-Conference, and heading to Cornerstone University to play college soccer.
The line between those two moments runs straight through PowerStrength.
HOW IT STARTED
Helena heard about PowerStrength through friends first. Then her soccer coach made it official.
“I actually had a coach tell me I should get some speed training done,” she said. “My mom was like, let’s just go here — I know they’ve done good things with other people.”
That was three years ago. Helena was a high school athlete with big goals and a coach who recognized something she needed to develop. The combination of a trusted recommendation and results she’d seen in others made the decision easy.
What happened next made it obvious.
WHAT SHOWED UP
The results didn’t stay hidden for long.
“I’ve had people say that I’ve been a lot faster and a lot stronger on the courts and on the field — which is huge,” Helena said. “That’s what I came here to do, and that’s what showed.”
It wasn’t just what others were seeing. Helena was feeling it herself, in the specific moments that define a soccer game.
“I can see it a lot — turning faster, dropping back on defense. You can see a difference.”
For a center back, those aren’t small details. They’re the difference between being in position and being a step behind. Between winning a ball and watching it get past you.
Helena started winning more of those moments.
WHAT MADE THE TRAINING WORK
Speed was the starting point. But what kept Helena coming back — and kept her improving — was something more fundamental.
“Even if I come once or twice a week, I’m either doing a bunch of stuff to get faster or a bunch of stuff to get stronger — but it’s constantly working towards getting faster or stronger.”
The consistency was built into the structure. And the structure removed the most common obstacle to progress.
“If I was working out at home, there’s always that thought of ‘I don’t have to do it.’ If I’m coming here, I have to do it. Which makes it purposeful.”
That word — purposeful — captures what separates a session at PowerStrength from a workout someone squeezes in on their own. Everything is intentional so every session “moves the chains” in the direction towards their goals.
TWO SPORTS, ONE TRAINING HOME
Helena didn’t just play soccer at Calvin Christian. She played Varsity basketball for two years as well — and she kept showing up at PowerStrength through both seasons.
The reason was simple. What she was building here was different from what she was doing anywhere else.
“A lot of what I was working towards here was different from what I was working towards during my basketball or soccer lifts at school,” she said. “This was a different way of working towards the goals I had.”
That type of complementary training allows athletes to be part of their team, work on their specific goals, and get ahead of the competition.
She came in during the Winter months once or twice a week when the schedule tightened. During the Summer and Fall, she was in twice a week consistently. The frequency and intensity adjusted – the serious commitment stayed the same.
THE ACCOLADES THAT FOLLOWED
Consistent work produces consistent results. For Helena, that showed up in the honors she earned.
She finished her career at Calvin Christian with All-District and All-Conference recognition — acknowledgments that reflect not just talent, but the kind of sustained performance that comes from an athlete who doesn’t take shortcuts in the off-season.
“You can see a difference in work ethic between different people,” Helena said. “I feel like that helped me push toward those goals.”
The awards were a byproduct. The work was the point.
WHY CORNERSTONE
When it came time to choose where she’d play in college, Helena knew what she was looking for.
“Definitely their program and their coaching staff,” she said. “And definitely the Christian aspect of the school.”
Cornerstone checked every box. The fit felt right from the start.
COLLEGE READY
Helena arrives at Cornerstone this fall, and she isn’t waiting for the season to get ready. She’s been preparing all Summer — and PowerStrength is part of that preparation.
“It’s helping me stay consistent in my workouts for preseason stuff,” she said. “It’s a good way of making sure I’m getting a workout in and staying ready.”
The habits she built over three years don’t stop now. They carry forward — into a new program, a new level of competition, and a new chapter.
WHAT SHE’D TELL YOU
For any young athlete standing outside the doors of PowerStrength wondering if it’s the right fit, Helena doesn’t hesitate.
“You’re definitely going to be pushed — it’s going to make sure that you’re getting better and consistently getting better. And everybody’s super friendly. You’re not going to feel judged for anything you do. Everybody’s going to be hyping you up.”
The environment backs that up. When Helena walked in for the first time, it was new faces and an unfamiliar space.
“I think everybody said hi to me,” she said. “Which was definitely super helpful. You’re meeting new people every time you’re here, which is really nice.”
The sessions are competitive. The coaching is technical. And the atmosphere makes both of those things feel like something you want to come back to.
“During sprints, I want to be competitive,” Helena said. “That helps push you. And they’re constantly making sure you’re doing stuff correctly — because sometimes you’re doing stuff incorrectly and it’s not helping you at all.”
When asked to finish the sentence “PowerStrength is…” Helena didn’t hesitate.
“A community that helps you build.”
WANT TO SEE BIG RESULTS?
3rd–12th grade athletes of all sports and ability levels can sign up at PowerStrength at any time throughout the year while spots remain.Choose the PowerStrength location most convenient for you — Alpine, Kentwood, Jenison, Plainfield, Holland, or Byron Center.
Visit powerstrengthpro.com/athlete/contact/ to learn more or click below to schedule your assessment and get started.