I sat down with the senior class of the IU women's soccer team to talk about the impact of their careers as Hoosiers.
Here is the version that ran in today's (11/8/2011) Indiana Daily Student.
Here is the full transcript from that discussion:
IDS: The relationships that you and your teammates developed will make a huge impact. Can you elaborate on why?
Devon Beach: Since we've been here four years now, we've become a family. We are together all the time so we know each other in and out. You're with these people all the time. You know everything about them. It's nice to have someone like that - so close.
So many people with the same relationship too is just amazing.
Kerri Krawczak: We have a really special bond that you find with a lot of athletes. Our team especially. You sacrifice so much and you get to experience something that's special and that a lot of people aren't able to do. Because of that, it's kind of like a family. You spend so much time together that you grow to love and protect each other.
Beach: It's not even just our class: Us and the relationship we have with our freshmen is just like that. Even though we only knew them for a couple months now, it's the same thing.
Kaylin 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.
Kirsta 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 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.
Lindsay Campbell: I agree 100%. 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.
Krawczak: As far as having the opportunity to play in a Big Ten season, that's just something that a very small percentage of people get to do. There's not really one word that you could describe what the feeling is to be playing in a Big Ten game. The tradition that comes with playing for IU soccer and the Big Ten as a whole has so much [prestige].
I know that before every single Big Ten game, I'd always take a deep breath and be so happy that I was about to step out on that field and just never take it for granted because you know those times eventually will fade and you're not gonna be able to do that for the rest of your life. Take it all in.
IDS: Two weekends ago, the team traveled to St. Paul and Madison. 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.
Kellin: You have a lot of girls on the team who have been through the exact same classes, so you help each other out in every way you can.
Clow: Look at our schedule. Then, usually whoever my roommate is, we'll figure out at least an hour for us to just sit down and study. Even though it's hard to just find a place to study, we'll go to the lobby.
A lot of us have a lot of work to do every single weekend. It's hard to study for hours and hours like you would at the library, but getting an hour in here and there. Reading on the bus. It's definitely hard. But we all do it pretty well.
IDS: How has being a student-athlete helped prepare you for life after college?
Krawczak: Being a student-athlete is an invaluable experience that - I keep reiterating - 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. It's definitely a good head start that I think we have over everybody else.
Campbell: Overall, the things I've learned in my life, the majority of them have come through playing soccer. More specifically, college soccer. Exactly what they said. I think without it, I would be a completely different person.
Krawczak: I think it goes far beyond the outcomes that we've seen in our games. People might think that you learn about winning, losing and being tough - all that kind of stuff. It's a lot deeper than that. Unfortunately, we didn't get the best results when we were here. Obviously, we hope for better.
The thing is, all the teams in the Big Ten come out and want to win. It's not like anyone doesn't come out and not want to win. So someone needs to not be on the good result every time. Unfortunately, we were on the bad end of it. But the lessons that we learned here and the things we take away from it are no different than anyone else.
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: '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 freshman have a season of college soccer to their name, how would you advise them going into the offseason?
Clow: Never give up. It's going to be really hard and you're going to push your body and your mind to the limits. Just know that they have the whole team behind them. Even the coaches, program, other athletes - you have all IU rooting for you. I know sometimes we never realized it because we were in preseason. No one's here. There's no students here, and they don't realize how hard we're working, No one sees it except for us.
It takes awhile to realize that people will know what you're doing and appreciate it. Just keep working hard. It's going to be hard.
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.
Moreso, 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).
