It’s been six months since our season ended. Six months since returning to my hometown, Rochester, for our final game. Honestly, I remember very little of that final game; it was a blur, a strange phenomenon coming full circle in the city where I grew up and learned the game I loved and where I ultimately ended my career. Looking back I can see vivid snapshots of goals scored and saves made in a variety of games in cities across the country. While the on-field events resulted in wins and losses and a range of sports statistics, it was the off-field relationships that define my experience with Case soccer the most. For some I only got the privilege of playing with them for one year, while others played with me for all four years.
For me soccer is a game. One I have devoted 17 years of my life to because I love it, but like most players I have a love/hate relationship with soccer. Things that I will miss the most , besides my teammates, include (in no particular order- except winning games comes first) winning games, Buddy’s ever-continuous goalie drills, dominating Halloween practice, synchronized swimming, and being able to be laughing hysterically one minute and working hard the next. Things I won’t miss include running sprints, doing pushups, and doing yoga (all of which are not my forte), but having 20 some odd women along side me working towards a common goal definitely made me run faster, although never the fastest unfortunately.
My soccer life now consists of training for the alumni game by watching soccer clips on Youtube and watching the team practice from my room, so I can strategize the alumni team’s plan of attack. In the future I will definitely join a club league, but the level of play will never be the same. I am looking forward to seeing where Case soccer will go in the future. The talent and determination of the women on the team now will, without a doubt, take Case soccer to the top of the conference in the near future. I am honored to have played and been a part of rebuilding this program, and I wish all the best to the current and future Case women’s soccer team.
Kirsten McClain
P.S. GO ALUMNI!!!!!
Photos:
Top: Kirsten (left) "dominating" year 3 of the Halloween practices
Bottom: Kirsten and her new teammates at this spring's Alumni Game
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