Soccer
St. John’s university (2014-2017)
Team captain
fairleigh dickinson university assistant coach
Masters Degree: homeland security
About Me:
I am 25 years old and have explored so many options to find what sets my soul on fire with passion and excitement. I love dogs, yoga, and pizza. My childhood consisted primarily of playing soccer for PDA (Players Development Academy), NJ ODP (New Jersey Olympic Development Program), and the East Region ODP team.
When I wasn’t on the soccer field I loved being on the beach and spending time with friends. Soccer has helped shaped me into the person I am today. I have met some amazing friends and mentors, but most importantly have learned to overcome adversity and grow. I used to think that I needed to know the next steps in my life, that everything had to be planned. The truth is, life doesn’t work that way, and it is okay!
I was a high schooler who fell into the trap of committing to a school that I wasn’t sold on, because I felt the pressure of committing coming on too quickly.
However, I ended up transferring my sophomore year to St. John’s University and it was the best decision I ever made!
Following graduation, I stepped into the world of collegiate coaching. I loved being able to mentor and teach players, but traveling and being on the road continuously wasn’t what I loved anymore. I changed paths and decided to complete a service term with the St. Bernard Project. With the St. Bernard Project, I was rebuilding houses from Hurricane Sandy! Yep, you thought right, I now know how to rebuild a home from beginning to end.
At 25, I have realized the importance of females supporting each other at all stages of life. Community, encouragement, and support are truly some of the most powerful tools in life! I am so excited to be able to help and support many female athletes throughout this program! I also want to help athletes realize that their sport is a huge part of them, but it is not their only identity. To be able to make even the slightest impact on one person’s life and athletic career IS what sets my soul on fire!
“I believe that as females we put so much pressure on ourselves to be “perfect.” Perfect does not exist. There is a community willing to help support and guide athletes to achieve their hopes and dreams. Sports is one of the greatest communities you can be in when you find the right mentors and niche.”
What Hard Work Taught Me
One of the biggest lessons that I had to learn throughout my youth soccer career was that there are some things that you cannot control. Unfortunately, you do not get to pick those things and it’s not worth stressing over or thinking negatively about yourself.
While I was gifted with personal traits like hard-working, dedicated, and smart; I was not gifted with being tall, being naturally strong, nor growing during my “prime recruiting” time. There were many times that I heard the phrase “you’re not big enough to play defense. You’re not big enough to play at that high of a conference in college.”
It was the one phrase that really made me mad. It frustrated me that my size and physical features could separate me from others in soccer. I didn’t understand it because there was no way that I could tell my body to change quicker. I couldn’t just wish that I would look like players that had physically developed sooner than myself.
There were times that I would try out for a state or region team and the result would be me crying and confused. I was told that I was a great player, my ability to read the game and my skills with the ball were great, but “I wasn’t big enough.”
For years this was the common theme and it took some time to realize I had no control over it. What I did have control over was how hard I worked at practice, and in games. On Friday’s I would go to our high School field with my Dad. We would work on shooting, clearing the ball, and various aspects of the game that I knew would take me to the next level. The funny part is, I did eventually grow and physically develop by my senior year of high school.
When I look back now… I know that I DID make the State team. I DID make the regional soccer team. I DID get invited to play in an international tournament in Russia. I DID get recruited to a Division 1 soccer program, and I DID become a starter for that program. However, all those accomplishments weren’t because I grew 4 inches and gained muscle mass and weight, it was because I went to the field on off days. I worked my butt off to be the best player that I could be. My mission was to prove all those coaches and evaluators wrong. Deep down I knew that I deserved everything that I wanted for my soccer career.