By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SALEM, Ore.– Kaylyn Okerstrom has had little time to adjust to coaching her new team with the Chemeketa Community College Women’s Soccer team.
Brought on late as Head Coach of the defending NWAC South Region Champions, Okerstrom has rose to the occasion though. She dove right in and has been slowly charting her own path and building off of what Luciane Wertz built last year.
“I’m excited. The previous coach (Wertz), I had the pleasure of knowing. Our philosophy and things are the same and I like that because it means they know what to expect and it’s a program that has success. It’s a little intimidating trying to fill those big shoes, but I’m excited, ready and up to the task. Coming into a successful program is a lot of weight, especially starting this late and having to get all my ducks in a row…but I’m excited to carry it on and see how it goes,” said Okerstrom, who led West Salem’s Girls Soccer team to the Central Valley Conference Title in 2025 as Head Coach.
They, Chemeketa, return roughly six girls from last year’s 9-2-4 squad that includes Tatum Kiger, Emorie Lowen, Alyssa Tapia-Stockwell and Izzy Flores to lead a Storm squad that features 15 incoming freshmen. It creates a challenge, but the Storm are overcoming that challenge as they quickly prepare for their scrimmage with Corban this next week and prepare for the NWAC Friendlies before kicking off the season with their first official game on
“We don’t have too many sophomore’s…it’s a big freshmen class. It’s something that you take into account is that the girls aren’t used to playing with each other or know a lot about each other. They’re throwing in team bondings, I’m trying to get things going in here building soccer skill sets and getting them used to who they are and what they are together,” Okerstrom said.
Chemeketa will play Corban on August 18 in a scrimmage before heading to Tukwila, Washington for the NWAC Friendlies on August 18 and 19. The Storm will host Pierce on August 24 at CFC.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
