Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Athletics

Due to my inability to think of a good beginning for this farewell, I decided to borrow some words from Pat Conroy, the author of my all-time favorite book, My Losing Season, “I believe with all my heart that athletics is one of the finest preparations for most of the intricacies and darkness a human life can throw at you.  Athletics provide some of the richest fields of both metaphor and cliché to measure our lives against the intrusions and aggressions of other people.  They forced me to deal head-on with my inadequacies and terrors with no room or tolerance for evasion.” 
   
I truly believe the role soccer has played in my life ever since I turned eight and first took the field on a park and rec team is invaluable.  I cannot think of one experience in my life that has not been impacted by lessons learned on the field, from my teammates, from my coaches, from my opponents, and from myself. 
   
These four years of soccer at Saint Mary’s have been an adventure.  I clearly remember arriving a week and a half early to campus for preseason as a freshman, scared out of my mind.  JJ, who I have come to know as a flawless goalkeeper and person of integrity, was the first player that welcomed my family and me to campus.  Since then, I have absolutely loved playing soccer here with every single one of my amazing teammates and friends, and I am so thankful to have met and played with them. 
   
Freshman – Amanda, Ellie, Ashley, Rachel, Caitlyn, Emily, and Kelsey – I am so glad to have gotten the opportunity to play with all of you, even if it was only one year.  You all brought so much energy to the team and are going to be great leaders for the new players coming in next season.  Stick with this team because you are crucial to its success, and it will give you back so much more than you ever expected. 
   
Sophomores – Kelsey, Erin, Sibik, Molly, Marie, Tania, and Angie – you have been through a lot, and I admire you for persevering. Kelsey, I love your dry humor, you are just hilarious.  Erin, my education buddy!  You are such a sweet person, and seeing you come back so strong after such a terrible injury is inspiring.  Sibik, your confidence on the field carries us. Molly, you have showed a lot of courage and determination in your life this past season.  Marie, your tenacity and determination every time you play up front is impressive.  Tania, I love playing defense with you, and you are a great person to talk to.  Angie, the foot skills you have are crazy, and I love watching you fearlessly take on any size player on the field.  You are a great friend. 
   
Juniors – Kierra, Mariana, Dana, Mazzuca, and Steph – there are not very many of you, but you provide a strong core for this team, and your leadership is needed next season.  Kierra, your work ethic is so admirable, and you give your whole heart every game.  Mariana, what do I say to you?  You provide the energy, the voice, the spirit, the heart of our team.  You give all of yourself on and off the field to be there for everyone at all times.  It is amazing to see what you do for people, for everyone.  Dana, your ability to play literally every position on the field, except maybe keeper, was so fun to see.  I really appreciated all your leadership on defense and ability to stay calm under pressure.  Mazzuca, you have a dance move for every song and a move to embarrass every defender on the field.  Steph – my sleeping buddy!! yep, I said it. – You have become such a great friend, and I admire you for your incredible leadership as a captain.  Leading is so natural for you, and because of this, you will make a great teacher and coach.  I am going to miss you so much!! 
   
Seniors – Paulson, Kaufmann, Mess, and Erin – we have enjoyed this whole experience together, and I appreciate your dedication.  Paulson, you are such a hard worker on the field, and I love watching you play.  Your dedication to the team as a captain this year has held us together through some tough times.  Kaufmann, you motivate me.  I know you’ve been through a lot with injury, but you courageously fought through it and are so positive.  Mess, I just think you are a genius, seriously and also hilarious. You are such a real, genuine person, and it is so enjoyable to be around you. What a great friend.  Your future students are so lucky!  And Erin, my roomie!, I admire so much the heart and determination you bring to every practice and game.  You are always so positive, and your dinosaur imitation is pretty sweet. 
   
Coaches play such a crucial role in the lives of their players, and they probably do not even realize the impact they have.  I cannot thank all of them enough.  Dad and Mr. Hanson, my first soccer coaches, oh those were the days.  You two were so dedicated and cared so much – it did not matter that it was your first experience ever with the sport of soccer – we succeeded because of your passion and enthusiasm for your team.  We probably had the two most hilarious coaches in the MYSA for a few years, yelling at the refs and telling all of us to shoot no matter where we were on the field.  We loved it!  Ian Thompson, my favorite coach from England, thank you so much for coming in at a time in my life when I needed confidence, and turning around the way we played together as a team.  You are unforgettable.  Coach Guinn, you are the reason I decided to come to Saint Mary’s, and there are no words to describe how much we appreciated you, except maybe to say that the  devastation we all felt in your absence is a good testament.  Thank you.  Coach Halberg, you have been the consistency and positive energy that has driven my four years of soccer here.  You give the most motivating pre- and post-game speeches I have ever heard that include lessons I do apply to my life.  I appreciate the hard work you put into the team that could get overlooked by someone who doesn’t understand what really holds us together. I respect you.  Coach Dembiec, thank you for stepping up at the last minute.  It says a lot about how much you care about the soccer programs at Saint Mary’s.  It takes a lot of discipline and organization to stretch yourself so thin, and we are grateful.  Coach Zimmerman, you have done so much already to start rebuilding this team into a team that trusts in itself and the stability of the program.  I think you did a really nice job dedicating yourself to us as players and staying positive when things with our record got rough.  I hope you trust in your coaching ability and know that you are making a difference here.  We are lucky to have you. 
   
Nicholle, Mandy, Lori, Christina, Derek, Maria, and Bridget, thank you so much for coming to so many of my games.  It meant so much to have you there, and you are amazing, supportive friends.  It was great to hear you cheering.
   
I thank most of all my family because their support, dedication, and effort towards my involvement in soccer have been outstanding.  Mom and Dad, I do not even know how to express my appreciation, and it feels like a feeble effort to even attempt it. Your presence at my games motivated me more than anything else.  I played more for you than anyone else.  Your positive attitude about my play regardless of mistakes I made gave me strength.  Dad, you were always right, as much as I hate to admit it, with every piece of advice you gave me.   Mom, I loved hearing your shrill whistle and it always let me know you were there.  Mike, you are a role model for me, going at life full force, with confidence and a sense of humor.  You can make me laugh harder than anyone I know. Liz, I love watching you play – you are a ferocious defender and one of my best friends. 
   
This incredible four-year journey at Saint Mary’s has made an impact on my life that I will never forget, and I will carry the experience with me forever.  Thank you.