My Personal Account. Get Involved!

So far I've tried to keep my blogs informative, professional, and to the point. I've shyed away from sharing too many of my personal experiences, choices, and decisions because I didn't want this to turn into a "dear diary" type blog. But in this case, I feel like sharing my experiences is necessary in getting my point across. So please bare with me.

Playing soccer has always been my passion. Growing up with two older sisters, both soccer players, it was sort of a given that I would follow in their footsteps. I started playing for a recreational league when I was four years old. When I was old enough to join a travel squad at age 10, I did just that. I dedicated hours to practicing on weeknights and spent weekends traveling to play teams all over Virginia. In high school I joined a club team in Richmond, traveling over an hour to practices three nights a week. On weekends I traveled to games and tournaments all over the East Coast. As you can imagine, by my senior year in high school I had grown tired of the non-stop practicing and training, as well as this "one-the-go" type lifestyle. After my last game, I decided to hang up my soccer cleats for good.

When I came to JMU I had no intention upon playing soccer. I wanted to do something different and make another name for myself. Although I loved playing for all those years, I felt like it was a part of my life that had been fulfilled. A chapter that was in need of an end.

But after going to student organization night my freshman year, my thoughts changed. Although there were a million clubs represented in that tiny room, the one that stood out to me the most was the Women's Club Soccer Team. When my friend Brock, a JMU Men's Varsity player at the time, told me I would be wasting my talent if I didn't at least try out, it was settled. The next day I called my parents and told them to overnight me my cleats.

Now, three years later, here I am sitting in the hallway of a Howard Johnson hotel at the Club Soccer National Tournament in Pensacola, FL. After almost 8 seasons with these girls, I could not imagine my college experience without this team. Each week we practice together, play together, study together, and hang out together. These girls are more than just my teammates or my friends. They are my family. Without this team, college would be a completely different experience.

I guess my point is, without becoming involved in soccer or some other organization at JMU, I would not be who I am today. I urge everyone to become involved in college. Seek out a club or organization. Whether it is something you know you are passionate about, like my case, or something you just want to try out for the first time. The possibilities are endless. Find your niche and make the most of it because college doesn't last forever.