If you’re reading this and a bit confused as to why you’re reading yet another graduation post, let me explain. While, yes, I did technically graduate and finish all my classes in December, there was NO way I was going to pass up the opportunity to graduate from YANKEE STADIUM in May (yes you read that correctly, THE Yankee Stadium). But I digress…
In between my last trip to NYC for Dave’s NCAA Championship and graduation I secured a job at my dream company, FOX Networks, as Distribution Assistant. Luckily for me, I already had a flight booked to NYC for Graduation, so I just canceled my return flight to San Diego and began securing my apartment, and finalizing my graduation plans.
The weeks leading up to graduation were a complete whirlwind. I began my first day back in NY by saying goodbye to a close friend, Etan, at the airport as soon as I landed. The following night was an award ceremony, followed by Dave’s first summer volleyball tournament, and before I knew it, my parents were in town to celebrate graduation 2.0.
NYU is pretty big (about 50,000 students), so each school breaks up and does their own graduation ceremony prior to the big Yankee Stadium Commencement. Luckily for me (and my parents), I went to a somewhat small school and program ( less than 100 graduates and less than 8 girls in my program) which meant a pretty quick ceremony. Unfortunately my graduation fell on the same night as the Ranger’s playoffs game but we couldn’t score tickets to go. Some might find it ironic that a few of my sports management friends ditched the end of graduation and headed to the Garden – talk about truly studying what you love!
We had a day between graduating as a school and NYU’s commencement in the Bronx so I took my mom to Hoboken for the day and then later grad alley on campus. I love being able to show her a new part of the city every time she comes – that’s one of the best parts of New York – it’s somewhat limitless.
It was the perfect day for a baseball game graduation – the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky, and excitement in the air. A sea of students in purple robes flooded the gates into Yankee Stadium. Truth be told, I have never seen Yankee stadium filled with so many non-sports fans in my life. No joke. After venturing around the 100’s section, I found some sports management friends, then later my teammates and made my way to the 3rd baseline, where I would sit the rest of the ceremony. Though the ceremony was a bit longer than I wished, it was a pretty cool experience to graduate from my favorite ballpark. How many sports fans can say that they graduated from Yankee Stadium? Not many.
After commencement, we made it back to midtown for a lunch at an Irish Pub and a celebratory beer (Hey, I’m Irish!). I then showed my parents my new work HQ (News Corp), where we ran into my former intern boss, Chris Bellitti. He was a huge part of my post-graduation job success and it seemed only fitting to run into him just hours after officially “graduating”.
Graduation 2.0 was a huge success but I couldn’t have done it without the help of a few friends. A huge thank you goes out to my incredibly supportive parents and sister – thanks for putting up with me all these years. Thank you to all my friends, my teammates, and roommates for putting up with me the past four years – I could not have done it without you all!
Frustration might not be the right word to describe what I was feeling going into this preseason. Frustrated doesn’t even begin to explain it. Upset, disheartened, and defeated don’t even get close to describing how I was feeling.
After a deadlifting accident last Fall, my lower back was in a state of chaos – leaving L4/L5 and L5/S1 partially sacralized and the prospect of returning 100% was questionable. Numerous doctors appointments, x-rays, cortisone injections, and physical therapy appointments failed to get me where I wanted heading into my senior season. Nevertheless, I was determined to get back on the field.
August 13th rolled around and I still had back spasms during workouts and a numb sensation down my leg whenever I ran for more than a few minutes. In a word, debilitating. I might as well have had the word UNCLEARED tattooed across my forehead because that was the simple truth. Another cortisone injection, a cocktail of medications, ice baths and a daily back massages helped me get on the field again. It was slow and excruciating learning how to dive again so that I didn’t further damage my spine. I believed that because I had done this twice before, why not a third time?
Nearly a month from that first day back on the field, just jogging for ten minutes, I am now back at it and fully cleared. There is still a painful jolt to my back every time my body slams into the ground, I have come to the realization that it is worth it. Every dive, every kick, every sprint. It is after all, my senior season.
It’s amazing to think how little of the World I’ve seen, let alone the United States. I recently traveled up to San Francisco to visit my best friend, Phebe, and one night we met two Swedes who were rambling on about all the countries they had visited. Their stories were impressive – they had left their home countries to visit the United States and see everything it had to offer for weeks at a time. A trip like that seemed unfathomable in my twenties – how could one just drop everything and go for six weeks, or even six months? It was this beautiful sense of wanderlust that captivated me, refreshed me. I was proud that I had “taken the weekend” off of work to visit my best friend; I was mesmerized by these new friends who had “carpe diem-ed” – seized the day.
That wasn’t the only thing I was mesmerized with on my trip to San Francisco. I hadn’t visited the Bay Area since 7th grade – nearly ten years ago (WOW, I’m getting old!) and the only expectation I had, was the inevitable fog in the morning in the city. I was gladly taken aback by the beauty of the Bay Area. Lucky enough for me, Phebe lives in Mill Valley which means not a ton of fog. It is absolutely breathtaking because it is surrounded by mountains and gorgeous views of the skyline.
During the trip, Phebe and I hiked twice – once in Mill Valley and once from Stinson Beach through some beautiful Redwoods. To say I was sore might be a little bit of an understatement – the incline was something I wasn’t used to! The weather was unseasonably warm so we also spent a couple of hours by the pool – I even got burnt! Who would’ve thought?
The rest of my weekend consisted of eating delicious cuisines, relaxing, and then taking in the sights and sounds of Marin! On my last night in San Francisco, Phebe and I embarked on a pub crawl near Nob Hill. This is where the story comes full circle; we met the two Swedes from the beginning of this post at the first stop and instantly became friends.
My words have failed to give this trip and our adventures together any justice, so I’ve created a small photo gallery instead. A picture is worth 1000 words, right?
Mill Valley, CA
Mill Valley, CA
Mill Valley, CA
Tiburon, CA
Belvedere, CA
Photo Credit: Sophia Barnhart
San Francisco, CA
Stinson Beach, CA
Stinson, CA
Vessel Night Club, San Francisco, CA
Marin, CA
Marin, CA
Thank you to Phebe, Momma Pheebz, Burton, Maddie, Julian, Essie and everybody else I may have forgotten for an amazing unforgettable weekend. Can’t wait to visit again!
What’s a football-loving girl to do when she lands tickets to the NFL draft in the middle of finals?The only possible answer is: head uptown to Radio City and spend the majority of her Saturday watching the fifth through seventh rounds. Though there isn’t traditionally a ton of excitement during these later rounds, there was still a lot of buzz following these rounds including the drafting of Alabama QB AJ McCarron in the 5th round by Cincinnati and Michael Sam as 256th overall in the 7th round by the Rams.
I had two sets of tickets available to me including priority tickets that I was able to get online and group tickets through a friend. I had invited my two teammates, Phebe and Julie, to join me so I opted to use the group tickets. After drowning in humidity for almost an hour, we finally were able to get our VIP tickets for inside Radio City. Once we were inside, we walked straight into throngs of NFL jersey sporting fans taking photos next to the Lombardi Trophy and just walking about. I was genuinely surprised at how low-key the event felt. After walking around and getting situated with the layout, we found our seats in the second mezzanine, which provided for a great view of the draft and plush seats to rest our weary bodies on. I saw a bunch of seats up towards the front row and urged us to walk around to see if we could sneak our way up there. As we walked around the floor level, a security guard asked us if we wanted to sit in the front – we happily obliged.
How many times in your lifetime will you get to sit in the front row of the NLF Draft? Hopefully, more than once. Just another bucket list item to cross off my list.
Some of you may not be as familiar with my NYU soccer career, however, I think it is imperative that you do know that the team means the world to me. Between the wins and losses, the injuries and celebrations, the friendships and adventures, the past three years have been a whirlwind to say the least. This post is dedicated to those who have been part of my NYU soccer experience – without you, I would be nothing.
Claire and Phebe at Aviator Field in Brooklyn
On the way to practice the other day at the furthest part of Brooklyn, a few of us were joking that we’ve been to played soccer in every borough except Queens. Our practice turf is on Pier 40 (Manhattan), we play at Gaelic Park for our home games (Bronx), and Staten Island has been a staple practice field in the spring. Today, changed that when we practiced at the Metropolitan Oval in Queens.
The view from the Metropolitan Oval
Being an athlete at NYU comes with its challenges, such as lack of home fields, but what we lack in physical space, we possess in adaptability, humor, and camaraderie. The past three years would not have been possible without the girls by my side, especially the rest of my junior class.
We came. We won. We conquered NYC today. 5 Boroughs, 1 Spring Season. Who knows what challenge lies next?
We’re approaching day 22 of preseason, but the grueling long set of two a days are only just beginning. Our ten days in the UK proved to be one of the greatest experiences of my young life, but then again, what more could a girl ask for in a trip? Soccer, travel, and surrounded by your best friends and teammates. Here’s a (relatively) quick recap of our trip.
A map of our trip
Panorama of London
DAY 1
The return to my “homeland” was everything I expected and more. We began our trip in London and spent the entire first day on our feet , walking from our Hotel at County Hall, across the bridge to Westminster Abby, along the River Thames, then back to Buckingham Palace. Though we were exhausted from our red eye from New York, we mustered enough energy to tour the city that day to allow for more free time in London during the trip.
NYUWS all smiles on the River Thames after a grueling long tour and flight
DAY 2
After a solid night’s rest and the most wonderful breakfast buffet ever (thank you County Hall Marriott!), we set out to explore the London Underground with a trip to the Tower of London, followed by some free time. The Tower of London proved to be an incredibly educational experience, but an even better photo opportunity with the Tower Bridge ( more commonly known by its misnomer, London Bridge). From the Tower Of London, Phebe and I ventured to Harrods then Picadilly Circus, but had to figure out the Tube to do so.
After successfully mastering the Tube, we walked back to the hotel and took a quick nap before we left for our game that night. That night we traveled outside the city to face off against Watford Ladies. We ended with a 2-1 loss, but the overall experience was very eye opening. I think what we all realized was how lucky we are, despite the numerous difficulties we face as NYU soccer players. What surprised us most, that despite England being a soccer powerhouse, the female professional teams, have subpar facilities, treatment, and access. It really set a fire deep in my soul, that made me want to do something.
NYUWS & Watford Ladies Prematch
DAY 3
Our last day in London began with a walking tour from NYU London’s own Director for Student Affairs, Nigel Freeman. We walked through Convent Gardens, through the British Musem to NYU London. It’s been really an incredible experience to have set foot in 3 different NYU campuses in Europe just this past year. Though NYU Madrid will forever hold a special place in my heart, NYU London was stunning. If I had more time to study abroad, I would definitely go back to the UK! After the walking tour, we boarded a bus and headed out to Teviot Rangers FC’s home field for a soccer clinic. I think this was definitely one of the highlights of the trip, considering the fact that we got play soccer with little kids with adorable british accents. The sad part however, was that the club didn’t have enough girls to start a girls team to compete – illustrating once again gender inequality in women’s “football” in the UK – something I was familiar with from my time in Spain.
Teviot Rangers Clinic
Highlight of the Trip
DAY 4
We continued our trip in England with a half day stop in Stratford-Upon-Avon, more commonly known as Shakespeare’s birth place. We were on our own, so Phebe and I set out with our guide, Jack and walked along the river, where we saw numerous rowers practicing. A side note: Jack told us that Stratford-Upon-Avon has one of the best crew clubs in England and has produced many Olympians. We strolled around, basked in the beauty around us, and ended our halfway with a visit to Shakespeare’s grave and lovely French restaurant, where I indulged in my favorite French dish, Croque Madame.
After lunch we hopped on our lovely coach (“bus” for all us Americans) and headed to a professional soccer match. West Bromwich played Bologna in an international friendly with a final score of 2-0 in favor of West Brom. Though it was my first EPL match, it didn’t even begin to compare to the other soccer games I have been to, including El Clásico in February. Following the game, we ventured North to Wales to retreat for the night.
Bologna vs. West Brom
Stratford Upon Avon
DAY 5
Though we were based in Wales, the majority of Days 5&6 were spent in Chester, England. We spent the morning learning about the ancient Roman, Anglo-Saxon (Mercian), Norman, & Parliamentarian history of sieges and warfare built into the walls of the city of Chester. It was a very beautiful city, considering the age. My favorite part was being able to walk around the entire city outskirts on the raised fortress walls.
That afternoon we faced off against Manchester City Women’s team. Though we didn’t play their full squad, the game was more than competitive. Man City was a great, feisty, physical opponent that will definitely be a benchmark for the rest of the season. Though we didn’t come away with a W, there were many lessons to be learned from that match.
After the game, we made a surprise pit stop at Old Trafford, home to Manchester United. Even though we couldn’t go inside, it was so cool to see the stadium, the Munich memorial, and statues of old players.
Corner against Manchester City
Man City and NYUWS Pregame Photo
NYUWS at Old Trafford
DAY 6
After two quick days in Wales, we were back on the road to Scotland, home to our guide, Jack. Although I wasn’t initially excited about making the trip up to Glasgow and Edinburgh, the anticipation continued to grow because I didn’t know what to expect. Jack continued to build up my excitement throughout the bus ride before we made one last final stop in Carlisle, England at the second most famous wall in the World: Hadrian’s Wall. On the way, we made an impromptu stop at Lanercost Priory because our education guide, Angie, recommended it from past visits. The priory was gorgeous and if I were to ever get married in England, I would definitely consider that as a location – it’s stunning. Check out some photos here! We spent the majority of our afternoon however in Carlisle, exploring the ruins of Hadrian’s Wall. It’s incredible to think that these ruins have been around for over 1800 years!
We finally made our way into Scotland by dusk, settling into our hotel in Glasgow. We ate a quick dinner before most of us went out to work out and then to sleep.
English Countryside
Hadrian’s Wall
DAY 7
We were up bright and early on Tuesday to head into Edinburgh to see the Edinburgh Castle and get a local walking tour. The views from the top of the castle were like none other and the city itself was bustling with tourists – I had no idea it’d be so full. After our walking tour, we were given a few hours to explore the city on our own. I had no idea where to start, but Phebe and I just started walking around the city. I would return to Edinburgh in a heart beat, I feel like I left so much undiscovered.
After a full day in Edinburgh, we boarded the bus back to Glasgow and immediately threw on some soccer gear for our training session at St. Mirren park. We ended up practicing at an indoor facility, which was a new experience for me – I really liked it, except the small field boundaries.
At the top of Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh, Scotland, UK 2013
DAY 8
Time seemed to pass by so slow over the course of our trip, that I had begun to feel like I had been in the UK for weeks – I loved it. We began one of our last days with a trip to Loch Lamond, which is at the foot of the Scottish Highlands. We walked around part of the massive lake, and then took a boat tour, where we got to see some old castles along the coastline.
Later that day, we laced up our cleats for a final match against the Hamilton Accies. Though it was a pretty even match, the Accies came out on top.
Castle on Loch Lamond
NYUWS on a ferry at Loch Lamond
DAY 9
The final full day of our trip will forever hold a special place in my heart and soul. Part of our trip included giving back to the community, and we did so by volunteering at a soccer clinic as well as visiting a Children’s Hospital in Yorkhill Scotland. Though the hospital and our coaches warned us that we might get emotional, nothing could prepare us for the pang of mixed feelings that I felt.
I had the distinct opportunity to meet six year old Euan. He’s an adorable Scottish lad with a debilitating auto-immune disorder that has left him in the hospital for his past three birthdays and on the bone marrow transplant list for quite some time. Even though he didn’t want to wear a hat or talk to us, I just sat there until he got really excited and wanted to show me his robot. Euan and I sat together for no longer than 30 minutes, but he had a profound impact on my life – teaching me that despite the odds, you can find purpose in the work you do – just like his robot.
As we left the hospital, I couldn’t help but tear up. We met tons of children with disease, disabilities, and sicknesses that we were so fortunate to have avoided. It brought me satisfaction that we were able to cheer them up, even if it was just for a little bit. What’s even better is that all the funds that SAAC raises this year through special events is going directly back to the Yorkhill Foundation
Here’s a video that we presented to the children, which showcases our first couple of days in the UK: NYU Video for Yorkhill Hospital
After our time at the Hospital, we had enough time to venture back to Edinburgh. We were on our own for four hours, so Phebe and I walked up this giant hill to these ruins with views of Scotland – simply stunning. We then returned down the hill, walked on the opposite side of the castle through cute little shops. I picked my Dad up a Scottish rugby jersey and I found some Trinity Shaped earrings I’ve been dying to get before we headed back to Glasgow for our final night in the UK.
DAY 10
This trip passed by quicker than ever, and I caught myself wishing that we could just stay in the UK for an extended period of time. My extreme case of wanderlust has hit me hard and I can only dream about the next time I set foot on an airplane.
Our final half day in the UK was spent exploring Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Museum, which had an array of old paintings, sculptures and displays. It wasn’t before long that we were headed to the airport to head back to London then NY. This trip was a blast and I cannot even begin to thank the numerous people who made this all possible including my parents, coaches, athletic department and of course my team!
Hey Everybody – sorry for not posting lately! I‘ve found myself to be busier than I ever thought possible – I’m literally running from class to work to practice and back to class all the time. It’s crazy to think that it has already been three weeks since the first day of school and that league play begin this weekend, but at the same time it’s great to feel like I’m slipping back into a normal routine (if you even consider my life normal!) In the past three weeks alone, our team has gone 6-2, I have made some considerable progress on my “20 Things to Do Before I’m 20” list, and I’ve found time to get a decent amount of sleep (yay!). Today’s post will mostly be an update on everything so far and a funny story or two 🙂
The Beginning of Foodie Friday (please ignore the massive white spaces)
First and foremost, I would like to say that bananas are so delicious – I do not know how I have lasted through sports so long without them! Anyways, I can finally cross off # 2, 12 14, and 15 off my twenties bucket list – four down, sixteen more to go! So far this year I’ve been cooking a ton – pretty much every single meal and have yet to burn down my room- which is an accomplishment in itself. My favorite meal so far is Amelia’s Balsamic Chicken and Asparagus Penne Pasta with fresh parmesan – it’s super easy and I’ll post the recipe soon. Another reason I’ve been cooking a lot (and learning) is because Foodie Friday has become a “thing”. It’s great to know that my friends look forward to coming over, cooking together and just catching up – it’s a great bonding experience for us as a team. This past Friday we also initiated a quote wall and a poster that lists the words that NYUWS makes up – I’m sure we’ll cover the whole wall by the end of the season!
Submit a piece or photograph to a major publication and get it published
Start a Tradition – Foodie Friday is really taking off – people have come to expect it now!
Break a Record
Withhold Myself From Shopping (But For Only One Month) – Current streak is five weeks 🙂
Try Bananas, Mushrooms, or Yogurt (Or all three) – Bananas are yummy. Up next: Yogurt!
Fly
Visit Ellis Island and Look For Any Relatives
Watch a live surgery
Get Scuba Qualified
Make an Impact
Aside from trying new food and withholding myself from shopping, I’ve also had my fair share of “Meg Moments”. Just the other morning I was headed to my internship, walking across Union Square towards 14th St., when all of a sudden a homeless man comes running up to me, stomps on my sandal-clad foot and runs away. I am not kidding. But really, who the heck does this?
Cooking!
Going Bananas!
In other news, I applied to study abroad Madrid on a whim, we’ll see if anything happens. I would love to go but I love New York City so much – I would be absolutely torn. I’ll know if I got in by Oct. 1st! Oh yeah, and our team is going abroad in August… wait for it… Yes, London, England, as in my birth place. I am beyond excited! When I found out, I was in the ice bath and started splashing everything around me – one of my finer moments if you ask me.
Ar and I are super excited
Speaking of soccer, we’re headed to Cleveland this weekend to play Case Western. It should be a great game and you follow the stats online 🙂 Oh and here’s an update and excerpt from my NYU Blog which can be found here:
“At the beginning of the year, our coach quoted Paul Elrich “The fluttering of a butterfly’s wings can effect climate changes on the other side of the planet,” which explained to us that everything we do is connected and influences everything else we do as a result, either directly or indirectly. Now that we’re a few games into the season, it’s amazing to see everything starting to come full circle since our first day…
I keep finding myself spotting butterflies everywhere I go, and thinking about how just the slightest flap of the wing can change the weather in South America. The same holds true for this season, and for years to come – every ounce of sweat we put in now will affect us down the road, hundreds of miles away at a UAA game.”
I’ll end on that but I hope everybody has a fantastic rest of their week 🙂 Until next time!
The past few days have gone by in a blink of an eye. I cannot believe that preseason is already here and my Mom has already left. So many memories have been made and way too many pictures have been taken – I don’t even know if I can give the last week justice.
A Collaboration
On my Mom and I’s last full day together in the city, we began our morning heading off towards NYU from her SoHo hotel. We grabbed a delicious breakfast at my favorite deli, “NoHo” and then I gave her a tour of the village since last time she visited she did not have the opportunity to walk by foot around campus. Following our adventure in the village, we walked down to Canal Street in the rain and began to cruise around. After a long drenched walk through SoHo we found ourselves in Little Italy and then began walking to the famed Katz deli. Katz Deli – let me tell you – so nomalicious! My mom and I split the turkey sandwich on rye bread – it was more than enough for the two of us – did I mention it was so yummy? I cannot even begin to describe the amazingness of the sandwich. Anyways, the rain was still pouring but we decided to make a run for McSorley’s which was a little less than a mile away. I could once again, go on and on about how cool of a place McSorley’s is, but I guarantee I cannot even begin to describe the oldest watering hole in Manhattan – take my word for it and visit!
Katz Deli – SO YUMMY
Mom and Her New Favorite Bar
The rain finally decided to subside after a round of black and tans at the pub and we once again ventured downtown towards the World Trade Center Memorial. Even though we did not get the opportunity to go inside the memorial, we did learn a lot about the reconstruction from a worker named Massimo. It’s so beautiful to see WTC#7 back up and Freedom Tower is almost built – simply a sign of our strength and prosperity since the attacks. Later in September I’ll write about the experience from my perspective when I was younger (I lived close to D.C. on 9/11).
Freedom Tower
After a walk around the FiDi, we retreated back to our hotel room since my teammate Phebe had just flown in and we wanted to grab dinner with her. We wound up at our favorite, Washington Square Diner – a late night staple that got me through way too many papers. It was the perfect ending to a long walking day and a great mini vacation for my Mom and I because the next day we were more than busy moving in.
Teammates
I couldn’t fall asleep that night – maybe it was the time difference, the excitement of moving in or maybe just the combination of the two that made it so hard to shut my eyes. Either way, I ended up getting up early enough to head on over to Carlyle to move in. Although check in was less than a smooth experience, everything turned out okay and Cami and I got a pretty gnarly room. A few hours and a ton of boxes later we moved in to our new abode on Union Square. That afternoon we had a team meeting; it was amazing seeing everybody’s beautiful faces again after a long summer spent apart and meeting tons of new girls.
Roommates
Granted it’s been a little less than a week since our first meeting but so much has happened, I don’t want to overwhelm everybody (plus I’m super tired and have to get up at 6 for practice). I’ll write again about the team and everything great that has happened since our first practice. Until next time!
P.S. Check this out! (I know super embarrassing, right?)
The past couple of weeks my Facebook has been inundated with pictures from the class of 2012’s graduation pictures, and I couldn’t help but think that it seems like yesterday that I was among the seven hundred-something students walking across the stage at Viejas Arena. It seems like only hours ago that I was boarding the plane for the first time, bound for New York City for NYU Freshman Orientation. And it seems as if this whole year passed by in a single New York Minute, but I guess in a way it has. Each and every single memory has been compressed into a tiny piece of information, stored away in my brain, only to be brought to surface again by a picture, a sound, or smell. It’s crazy to think how much I have experienced in a year, but I think it’s even crazier to think that I cannot even measure how great of a year it was, not by the number of wins or losses, nor smiles and tears that marked my face. I guess its not about the journey, rather about the people you meet along the way.
Love my club girls
Looking back, this year’s been great. Graduation, a trip to Europe, getting cleared to play, the beginning of college, an ECAC Championship, and so much more has happened in a little less than 365 days. But when I take away everything that happened, I find myself thinking about everyone who made it happen. As a military brat, I learned early on that the best way to survive the long deployments and constant moving was to have a strong support system, anchored by your family and friends who were going through the same thing. I employed the same tactics throughout the rest of my life in every challenge I encountered, because it simply worked. Being the social butterfly that I am, making new friends was never a problem, especially being on a team. For anybody that has been part of any team or unit, I think you understand when I say that the people you spend that much time become your family. You can do silly things in front of them, tell them your deepest and darkest secrets, and even conquer the world with them because they are with you through the thickest and thinnest of times. As for me, my teammates are my sisters, best friends, and some of the coolest people I’ve ever met. They’ve influenced me in more ways than I’d like to share and know more about me than I probably know about myself. So in honor of all of those teammates, I would like to dedicate this blog to them and share a few stories about them.
Part of our Freshman Class
During high school, I played for the San Diego Surf Soccer Club. Club soccer is interesting in the way that each person on your team is not only competing for a spot on the field but also on a college roster, it’s every man for themselves and can get a little cutthroat. Although I wasn’t on any given team for more than a year because I was a goalkeeper playing up (age-wise) I made a number of friends that I still keep in touch with to this day. I figure when you tear your ACL and your teammates are there, it’s sort of hard to get rid of the ones who held your hand when you were writhing in pain. These girls not only helped me during my whole ACL recovery (which is an entirely different story in itself) but were my bestest of friends in high school. We may not remember the wins and losses now, but we do remember the times we fell down laughing at each other in practice and super long road trips to exotic locations like Lancaster and Las Vegas (please note the sarcasm).
Captains
When I moved to New York the first people I met were my teammates. Rewind back to August…we’re all sitting in the Coles Conference Room for the first time as a team. I looked around the room and saw not only my teammates for the next season, but best friends, future bridesmaids and sisters for life. In the matter of only a few weeks, we had formed friendships that would normally take years to build.A few ice breakers and fitness tests later, we were more than just teammates. We bonded over doing extra running and the sun pounding down on our backs during two-a-days. Although we spent our first few days in New York dealing with extreme heat, an earthquake, and a hurricane, I wasn’t clicking my cleats together wishing I was back home. I was home, with 23 new best friends by my side.
My Sisters
I think it’d be fair to say that we’ve had a decent amount of adventures this past year. Ranging from our numerous travel issues to the All-Athlete Auction to even sitting in the training room catching up on everything that had happened since we had last seen each other. We’ve hung out in waiting rooms, patiently waiting for teammates to emerge from their surgeries, we’ve held each other in warm embraces when tears fall down our faces, and we’ve seen each other at our best and worst. We’ve done it all together.
Through Rain, Sleet, and Snow
Coming home this Summer I felt I experienced more changes than I ever have in any of my global moves. I wasn’t used to having a room to myself all the time or working out alone. A part of me was missing when I came home. It just goes to show that the people whom you surround yourself with are truly monumental in every little thing you do. I truly think the team does not get enough credit in a success of any given athlete. Sure, the parents drive the kids to practice, and the coach teaches them how to play but it’s the other girls on the field who push, inspire and persevere together.
One Team. One Dream.
Quote of the Week: “Scars heal, glory fades, and all we are left with are the memories made.” – Chris Cagle
