Seniors talk about IU career in round-table discussion

Post college plans and noteworthy stats

Carly Samp She was unable to attend the round-table discussion due to family obligations. A sports marketing and management major, Campbell said she wants to go into pro sports. She will be graduating in May. As a Hoosier, Samp scored 18 goals — including seven game-winners, 13 assists and 49 career points.

Devon Beach A fitness specialist major, Beach said she is interested in cardio rehab. She said she won’t be graduating until next December. In a IU jersey, Beach started 75 of 76 career matches, tallying 13 goals — including two game-winners and 10 assists.

Kerri Krawczak A sports marketing and management major, Krawczak will be graduating in May. Krawczak started 63 of 70 matches played, scored a goal as a freshman and assisted on another her junior year. As a freshman, she was part of an IU defense that allowed only eight goals in conference and shut out opponents the last 330:58 of the season.

Lindsay Campbell Campbell is a psychology major who will be graduating December 2012. She is unsure of future plans. Campbell spent 4075:24 in goal, with 17 wins, 13 shutouts, 168 saves and 1.26 goals against average.

Kirsta Kellin Earning degrees in finance and entrepreneurship, Kellin said she will be graduating in May 2012. She will be working in Chicago for Goldman Sachs. As a freshman, she and Krawczak were the only first-year players to start every match. Her sophomore year she split time between defense and midfield. She attempted 13 career shots.

Kaylin Clow Graduating in May  2012 with a sports marketing and management major, Clow said upon graduation she might go into the family business. Clow scored one goal and earned two assists playing in 38 career matches.
Conversation

IDS Why do you think the relationships among you and your teammates have such a huge impact on your lives?

Clow I’ve built best friends on this team. Way after college soccer, we’re going to be going to each other’s weddings and visiting, doing weddings and family vacations. It’s a bond that I feel like a lot of people can’t find because you’re not with people every single day, going through all these hardships together. It’s something really hard to find. I’m glad I got to participate and be a part of it.

Kellin I know we all had offers to schools that had better records, maybe better programs. I also know we wouldn’t change a thing. I personally would lose every single game (I had) with this team.
I love the girls so much. Especially this year, it’s the best feeling knowing you have an incredible group of girls behind you. You love every single one of them. You get along so well. Being done with soccer, it makes you appreciate that even more. It’s an incredible experience that I wish I could do over again.

Campbell I agree 100 percent. In 20 years, when we look back at our experience here, we’re not going to pay attention to the record or how much we won or lost. We’re going to look back on what we’ve learned.

We’re going to be with the people who we’ve experienced it with. I have learned way more than just the skill of soccer. There’s time commitment, sacrifices, dedication and commitment. That’s something a lot of people our age don’t have a lot of experience with. Overall, this team has helped me accomplish a lot more than just soccer.

IDS During the Big Ten season, what goes into the preparation for two matches on the next weekend?

Kellin When we were freshmen, you really don’t know what to expect, but years after that, you just know. It’s Big Ten. This is when you need to step it up. No mistakes can be made. You’re already mentally prepared because you know what you have to do. Everyone on the team understands that. You just work extra hard. You have that extra focus. You don’t really need to get pumped up — you already are. You know what’s coming.

Clow When it comes to our Friday and Sunday games, we don’t so much look at our Sunday game. We focus one game at a time. We’re all in on this Friday game. When it comes to Sunday, we kind of forget about the negatives or anything that happened on Friday and go on to the next one. Leading up to the games, we always work on what we need to do as far as our team instead of adjusting to other teams. It’s all about us and what we need to do to be better for each other.


IDS  Two weekends ago, the team traveled to St. Paul (Minn.) and Madison (Wis.). How does the travel affect what you’re trying to achieve academically?

Campbell It definitely becomes more difficult because you can’t just go to the library and get on a computer when you’re on the bus. But overall, our team, with the understanding of our professors, we’ve been able to accomplish just as much on the road as we have when we’re in town. It definitely takes some getting used to as a freshman. But once you get used to it, it becomes a part of you.


IDS How has being a student athlete helped prepare you for life after college?

Krawczak Being a student athlete is an invaluable experience that ... it’s something that not many people get to do. So many people look at it as being such an awesome thing. So many people would love to do it because you learn so much through the process. Lindsay’s already cited the dedication. Working in a team environment because you can’t always do what you need to do.

You have to do what’s better for the team. You learn that what you’re doing is a lot bigger than yourself — just learning to sacrifice and do what’s better for the team.
Beach Exactly what she said. When you’re on a team, it’s not just learning about your sport. It is teamwork that a lot of people get to experience. Whether you like something or not, you have to do it or deal with it.

You learn time management. That’s big. Make sure you’re being on time, so everything that’s going to directly relate to whatever you’re doing outside is always going to make a good impression on someone else. It is a stepping-stone right into the real world.

Clow We’re not content with losing. I like how we’ve learned to challenge each other and ourselves. There’s a point in your soccer career you’re like, ‘Alright, I’m practicing every day no matter what. So I might as well get better. There’s no point in coming out here and going through the motions.’ None of us do that.

We’re going to take that way beyond soccer. That’s something I like to get out of it.


IDS Now that the freshmen have a season of college soccer to their name, how would you advise them going into the offseason?

Kellin The most important thing I’ve learned, when things get tough, the most important thing you can do is rely on your teammates. They’re all going through the same thing. Most people don’t understand half of what we go through and couldn’t appreciate it. Your team is always there for you and always will be.

Krawczak This time goes a lot faster than they think it’s going to go. Sometimes, it’s hard to realize that because you’re — for instance — in the spring you’re going, doing all these running sessions and lifting.

You’re not playing a whole lot of soccer at the beginning.You kind of want the time to go fast when you’re going through those hard workouts. At the same time, don’t look too far ahead. All of us know how fast the time will go.

More so, you know how accomplished you’ll feel when you’re done.

This’ll be a group of people — or an organization, really — that you’re a part of for the rest of your life. You pay your dues at the beginning and then, I don’t know, I feel like I’ll always be on the team in some way.

Campbell I think that was said pretty well (drawing laughter).