Ivy League Sports

I’ll never forget arriving at my first meeting for the new soccer players and meeting our coach, Randy May. Everyone seemed to be having familiar conversation with the coach. I, on the other hand, had to introduce myself to Coach, as this was the first time I had met or spoken with him. I remember wondering if it was ridiculous for me to even try to play college soccer. Athletics had been a large part of my high school life, but I was so unsure about playing at the college level. I remember my Dad’s encouragement to just try it. I’m so happy for his encouragement because playing soccer at Cornell was one of the best parts of my college experience.

My original goal was to just make JV, and I was thrilled when I made the team. Eventually, I got my shot at Varsity and lettered my last three years. I was not a star player by any means, but was so happy to be a member of the team and to play. It also meant the world to me to have my parents at almost all of the weekend games, and I’ll always remember my Dad patrolling up and down the side of the field close to my position. I certainly recall a few of the personally thrilling moments like scoring my first varsity goal, taking my first road trip with the varsity to Harvard, which is near my hometown, and scoring the winning goal against William & Mary.

However wonderful those personal moments were at the time, they aren’t what I treasure the most. It is the team experiences, both little and big, that I most cherish: carrying a teammate piggy-back up a hill during training, being tackled on the sidewalk by a pack of teammates in Collegetown, venting our fury that the football players had priority to practice on our game field, sharing in the fun during a team dinner in a small town in Denmark, basking in the glory of winning the Ivy title, and sinking in the despair of not making the NCAA playoffs. I remember my friends on the team, how hard we worked together, how disappointed we were together, how we cheered for each other, and most of all how much fun we had together.

I have heard many people speak about how athletics can prepare you for life: how to work on a team, how to win and lose gracefully, how to work hard, how to balance activities and priorities. All of this is true, but for me there is a bit more.

At a young age I considered myself a “tomboy,” and this attitude about myself continued until college. I had played soccer since second grade, with my Mom as coach, and playing came naturally. My athletic family contributed to my zest for sports, especially the influence of my older brother and his friends with whom I tried to play as much as possible. In high school, I was a three-sport jock. Once in college, I was around so many great women athletes, all with such diverse personalities and backgrounds, that I began to see myself in a new light. The athletics didn’t define me; they were just a very special part of me. I grew out of the shell I was in and gained confidence to become the woman I am today.

I have continued to play soccer since college, with occasional time off for having my three boys. I do it for the exercise, my sanity, and for the enjoyment of being on a team; it is just a part of me. I hope to share this part of me with my boys. I hope to provide them with the encouragement and support, as my parents did, to participate in experiences that help shape their lives, whether in athletics or another venue. I also hope to teach them to celebrate the differences between women and men, but always realize that women are strong and are their equals. Finally, I hope to fully embarrass them when I become their soccer coach!