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In 2019, 8-year-old Natalie Weismore watched with her parents as the United States Women’s National Soccer Team, and her idol Alex Morgan, won the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Morgan inspired Weismore to begin playing competitive soccer. Her parents didn’t sign her up for anything besides local recreational leagues until they realized she was serious about pursuing soccer.

“She was always pushing herself, and we were holding back on her joining any type of travel or AAU types of things until she was adamant about really ‘I want to test this, I want to try this,’” her father Jordan Weismore said.

Six years later, after starting with Syracuse Development Academy between sixth and seventh grade, Weismore’s making her mark at the high school level. She made Jamesville-DeWitt’s varsity squad as an eighth grader last fall, totaling nine goals and two assists. Through two games in her freshman season, she’s already contributed to two more goals, blossoming into a star for J-D.

“I know the work was put in, and I trust I am prepared and my team is prepared to execute our game plan,” Weismore said.

Despite her recent success, playing organized soccer wasn’t initially easy for Weismore. Her first exposure came at 5-years-old with East Side Soccer, a youth league based in Syracuse, where she felt mixed about the sport.

Jordan remembers looking at Wesimore, who burst into tears.

But on the side, Weismore learned the game with her parents. She begged them to take her to a local park anytime they could, so she could shoot on goal together. Weismore’s parents were her teammates, and she didn’t want to play without them.

Despite Weismore’s shaky introduction to soccer, those practices sparked her interest in the sport.

“Within the first five minutes, (Weismore) was not having it, and after a while, after the game went on, she got used to it.” Jordan said.

Over the next three years, Weismore became more experienced with organized soccer through her introduction to a more rigorous schedule. As a competitive person, she wanted to test her skills against tougher opponents.

“It wasn’t until I was 8-years-old that I was truly inspired to play at a higher level,” Weismore said.

That led Weismore to try out for SDA a few years later. She made the team, and despite the demanding schedule that ran from August to May, Weismore enjoyed increased competition.

Natalie Weismore splits two defenders while playing for Syracuse Development Academy. Weismore’s time with SDA preceded a nine-goal campaign as an eighth grader for Jamesville-DeWitt. Courtesy of Jordan Weismore

Her biggest boost came from her family, who she credited not only for introducing her to soccer but also for cheering her on at every game.

After her success in travel soccer, Weismore wanted to raise the bar even higher by trying out for J-D’s varsity team in eighth grade. She was 13, competing against 17-18 year-olds.

Jordan told Weismore she wasn’t guaranteed to make the squad. But she remained confident and went all out, putting in her usual “110% effort” in hopes of showcasing her value.

She did. Weismore caught the attention of J-D head coach Matt Murphy, who not only offered her a roster spot but a starting nod as well.

“I was immediately impressed with Weismore’s work rate and skill set,” Murphy said. “She has continued to show her willingness to work hard in all that she does.”

“Once we found out she made the team, we were ecstatic,” Jordan added. “And once we found out she was actually going to start as one of the key members of that team, we couldn’t be any prouder.”

Weismore was determined to make the most of her time on the field. She did just that with a 20-point campaign in 2024-25, leading the Red Rams in both goals and points.

Her play directly translated to J-D’s success. When Weismore scored, the Red Rams were 6-1-0. They finished with a 10-5-3 record and an appearance in the Section III Class A Championships Semifinal Round, where they fell to Mexico High School 3-2.

Now in her freshman season, Weismore believes her team’s ceiling is much higher. Murphy said Weismore herself has improved her passing ability, adding a general sense of positivity to the whole squad. Even after a tough loss to end last season, J-D’s players have kept their heads high.

“(It) starts with our players knowing the most important part of our team is the relationships they have with each other,” Murphy said. “With that as our foundation, we can focus on improving as soccer players.”

This is just the beginning of Weismore’s career. She started as an eighth grader, and now she’s carving a legacy at J-D, just like Morgan has with the U.S. National Team.

“It’s been a fun journey, a great journey, a remarkable journey, and it’s just started,” Jordan said.

Published on September 21, 2025 at 9:07 pm
Contact Jamie: jquinn13@syr.edu