Ten days into preseason and it feels like we have been back for well over a month. Our team, half filled with returners and half with freshman and transfers, has already been through a lot. Right from the first day, we were all thrown into a program that intended to be both intimidating and frightening. From a little prior research, mostly warnings from friends who had been through it in past years, we knew that we were about to face unfamiliar and daunting challenges. We all had images of hauling massive logs across the fields, carrying teammates on our shoulders and perhaps a drowning, or two, in the Boyden pool. Despite all the anxiety leading to “The Program” and to preseason in general, I remained excited for a new challenge and saw it as great way for our team, mostly strangers to each other, to become teammates.
On that first day, all 28 of us girls walked into a classroom to be met by two very large, very tatted, and very threatening men. They preached about the importance of leadership and what it takes to be a good teammate. I’ve always thought of myself as a good teammate, but what I realized pretty quickly was my idea of a good teammate was just a little watered down. Patting my teammate on the back and telling her that it’s ok she didn’t pass fitness because she did her best, is not being a good teammate. Taking it easy on my roommate during a 1v1 because she is my friend, is definitely not being a good teammate. Letting myself not give 100% in everything we do, is the worst form of letting my teammates down. Sure my teammates can be my friends, but a group of friends isn’t going to win a championship. What’s going to win a championship is a group of outstanding teammates all dedicated to each other - and the same goal and doing whatever it takes to finally win an A-10 title.
On that first day, all 28 of us girls walked into a classroom to be met by two very large, very tatted, and very threatening men. They preached about the importance of leadership and what it takes to be a good teammate. I’ve always thought of myself as a good teammate, but what I realized pretty quickly was my idea of a good teammate was just a little watered down. Patting my teammate on the back and telling her that it’s ok she didn’t pass fitness because she did her best, is not being a good teammate. Taking it easy on my roommate during a 1v1 because she is my friend, is definitely not being a good teammate. Letting myself not give 100% in everything we do, is the worst form of letting my teammates down. Sure my teammates can be my friends, but a group of friends isn’t going to win a championship. What’s going to win a championship is a group of outstanding teammates all dedicated to each other - and the same goal and doing whatever it takes to finally win an A-10 title.
I’d be lying if I said I haven’t struggled with this notion the past couple days. I’m now entering my junior year and it has been in no means an easy ride (you can go back and read two years of prior blogs to relive my experiences). Yet, something our leaders of the program drilled into us, is the crippling affects of excuses. We all make up excuses for our teammates and ourselves. My freshman year, I spent the beginning of the year hurt only to tear my ACL at the very end of our season. My sophomore year I played the entirety of the year struggling to get back on the field, only to tear my meniscus and have to get surgery in the off-season again. I’ve found myself thinking a lot about whether it’s all worth it - and a lot of the time I honestly can’t come up with great reasons as to why it is. It would be very easy to just put things on auto pilot and finish up the next two seasons here. No one would probably blame me after my injuries- I have the excuse!
Now I find myself entering a season pretty healthy (certainly feeling better than I’ve felt in years) but there is still some frustrating and nagging knee pain. It could be an excuse not to work as hard as I can, not to stretch my endurance or sell out for that 50/50 ball. However, as aggravating as this is, I also find myself improving on the field, feeling better with treatment everyday and this keeps me optimistic. And optimism is the best way to keep from being an excuse maker!! I look at my older sister Kathleen, she is the captain at UMass Dartmouth, and I know that this is her last year of playing soccer. It’s amazing how fast things go by, as it seems like yesterday that we were little girls playing in the backyard together against the net our father made from PVC pipe! She makes me realize that when your career is over – there are no more excuses. And, for me there are now just two years left. This is as good a reason as any to keep pushing and playing.
Now I find myself entering a season pretty healthy (certainly feeling better than I’ve felt in years) but there is still some frustrating and nagging knee pain. It could be an excuse not to work as hard as I can, not to stretch my endurance or sell out for that 50/50 ball. However, as aggravating as this is, I also find myself improving on the field, feeling better with treatment everyday and this keeps me optimistic. And optimism is the best way to keep from being an excuse maker!! I look at my older sister Kathleen, she is the captain at UMass Dartmouth, and I know that this is her last year of playing soccer. It’s amazing how fast things go by, as it seems like yesterday that we were little girls playing in the backyard together against the net our father made from PVC pipe! She makes me realize that when your career is over – there are no more excuses. And, for me there are now just two years left. This is as good a reason as any to keep pushing and playing.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned through college soccer is that injuries are physically stressful but worse – they are mentally exhausting. Going out to practice and watching from the sidelines is both depressing and discouraging. I look at my roommate Kristen as one of the most silently strong people I know. She is the reason I refuse to feel sorry for myself because I’ve had injury stricken past years. She is why I need to get back out on that field, despite any knee pain! Kristen lives each day in pain (way more than she would ever admit or show) but has never given up on her goal to get back on the field. After having back surgery, followed by countless hours of treatment and physical therapy, and despite some improvement she remains in daily pain and not where she wants or needs to be. Many doctors have told her she will never play again but she only uses this as motivation to get back out there.
There are few people so dedicated and hard working in all aspects of life as Kristen. Every day she motivates me to be better; whether as a friend, teammate, player, or student. Her past year has been extremely challenging, but a smile remains on her face and she is as good as a friend and teammate as she was the day I met her eight years ago. If our team needs an example of someone who doesn’t make excuses for herself - we need to look no further. Recently Kristen had started to play a little and be more active on the field. However, the same pain she endured pre-surgery returned and MRI’s showed another torn disc in her back. I cannot imagine what this must feel like. To make such strides, only to regress once again, is so incredibly heartbreaking. My little nagging knee pain seems so trivial and in comparison it is nothing more than a silly excuse.
There are few people so dedicated and hard working in all aspects of life as Kristen. Every day she motivates me to be better; whether as a friend, teammate, player, or student. Her past year has been extremely challenging, but a smile remains on her face and she is as good as a friend and teammate as she was the day I met her eight years ago. If our team needs an example of someone who doesn’t make excuses for herself - we need to look no further. Recently Kristen had started to play a little and be more active on the field. However, the same pain she endured pre-surgery returned and MRI’s showed another torn disc in her back. I cannot imagine what this must feel like. To make such strides, only to regress once again, is so incredibly heartbreaking. My little nagging knee pain seems so trivial and in comparison it is nothing more than a silly excuse.
Despite being on the sidelines for so long, Kristen has remained an integral part of our team. Everyone looks up to her and seeks her for motivation and guidance. I don’t know what is in her future in terms of soccer, but I know that she will always be the best example I can come up of as a good teammate. A team of players like her, with that same fight and commitment, will certainly compete for an A-10 championship and I think that is exactly what our team is becoming. We still have a long way to go and a lot of hard work ahead of us, but already each player has shown they are committed to each other and our goal.
Our first game is less than a few days away and I’m excited to embark on another season with a team with immense potential, incredible players and most importantly – a group of great teammates. I entered UMass with one goal: To help the Minutewomen get back to the top of the A-10. After all I have been through, my commitment to that goal remains stronger than ever. This is going to be the year we get back to the top.
Our first game is less than a few days away and I’m excited to embark on another season with a team with immense potential, incredible players and most importantly – a group of great teammates. I entered UMass with one goal: To help the Minutewomen get back to the top of the A-10. After all I have been through, my commitment to that goal remains stronger than ever. This is going to be the year we get back to the top.
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