Our hearts were racing as we watched the clock tick down the final seconds of a history-making moment at Ellis Field. Our game against Penn State on Nov. 29 was reaching its conclusion, and more than 3,000 fans in the stands, as well as our entire team, shouted out each second as the clock ticked away.
Five! Four! Three! Two! One!
I suddenly found myself sprinting across the field to my teammates and celebrating Texas A&M soccer's first-ever Elite Eight win, which meant we had advanced to the College Cup for the first time in school history. The moments that followed—taking pictures, hugging coaches, hearing fireworks and, of course, "sawing 'em off" with our great fans—painted a perfect picture of our hard work paying off. That's exactly what that season and that tough game were all about: hard work.
The game against the Nittany Lions was a dogfight, but two goals by Allie Bailey and a very gritty effort by everyone in maroon and white were enough to send us on to the final four, which was further than any A&M soccer team had ever gone before.
The memory will forever be etched in my mind.
The journey of reaching that goal is just as memorable. It started with pre-training camp fitness sessions and pickup games every morning at 6:30 a.m. Being a freshman, I was amazed at the dedication and self-motivation of literally every girl on the team. I could already tell I was part of a winning program.
In August, preseason two-a-days began and the work rate only increased; we were a determined group with a big goal in mind. Once our season began on Aug. 15, the entire semester was a whirlwind. We had two-hour practices every Monday-Thursday, which would usually be accompanied with treatment an hour before and after each session. Fridays and Sundays—game days—were our favorite days. Those were the days we were able to see the fruits of our labor and put our love for the game on full display.
Athletics and academics are very important to us, but balancing the two can be difficult. There have been days when I have started at 7:30 a.m. with two or three classes followed by soccer from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. After grabbing dinner, I would study for at least two hours at study hall before finally going home around 8:30 p.m.
Road game travel adds another dimension. Generally, when we are not playing, we are sitting in our hotel rooms studying and taking proctored tests and quizzes. There are definitely many stressful moments, but we always manage to get everything done. We are very proud that our team routinely averages one of the highest GPAs of any team at A&M, and that shows how much work everyone puts in off the field. We definitely hold a high standard for each other and expect maximum effort from everyone.
But there is even more to being a student-athlete at Texas A&M. Many Aggies spend their freshman year becoming involved in one or more student organizations, but student-athletes usually don't have enough time to commit to much outside of sports or academics.
However, two of my teammates, Mikaela Harvey and Stephanie Malherbe, and I wanted something more despite our busy schedules. The three of us were determined to broaden our circle of friends and meet new people. We desired a more complete, well-rounded college experience and all that came with it. We wanted to give back to the community and also be a part of something outside of athletics at this wonderful university.
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Stephanie and Mikaela stumbled across a flier for the Best Buddies organization. Intrigued, we decided to look into it. Best Buddies is an organization that pairs college students with adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in hopes of creating meaningful and lasting relationships. After attending a meeting, we realized that this was exactly the sort of organization we had been looking for.
Best Buddies paired me with a woman named Cassie. I was ecstatic to meet her, but I was a little nervous, too. What if she didn't like me? What if she didn't really want to talk to me?
Cassie put my nerves to rest the second I met her. She greeted me with a huge hug and a winning smile, and I quickly found out that Cassie is one of the most outgoing, full-of-life people I have ever met. Her joy and love for life are contagious, and I couldn't imagine having a better buddy.
Cassie participates in a bowling league specifically for people with IDD, so most of my Tuesday nights are spent watching her bowl and intermittently talking about everything under the sun.
She is quite competitive, which is definitely common ground for the two of us. Cassie gets frustrated when she doesn't do as well as she had hoped and she rejoices when she nails a strike or spare. I love moments of emotion like these because they give me opportunities to empathize with her or celebrate her accomplishments. It's a great experience to watch her do something she is so passionate about.
Aside from bowling, Best Buddies often plans events for buddies to attend together. We have had dress-up Halloween parties, Christmas parties, charity walks and there will be a prom in May. I have a special love for events like these because they are opportunities to really get to know Cassie and hear about her life. I learn about the kind of experiences and things that have made her who she is. We're able to open up to each other in these moments and form a lasting relationship. I truly cherish my chats with Cassie and count them each as a significant blessing.
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Participating in Best Buddies and forming a relationship with Cassie taught me so much last semester. I learned how to communicate effectively in a new situation outside of my comfort zone. Before Best Buddies, I had experienced very little interaction with people with IDD, and being a freshman, I wasn't quite accustomed to meeting new people and having to work hard to form new friendships. It has been an incredible growing experience for me. I've gained many new perspectives, and I have had the pleasure of seeing the pure happiness this organization brings to everyone involved.
Â
Best Buddies was the perfect way to get involved outside of soccer. Sometimes there are days when Stephanie, Mikaela and I need to get away from all things soccer, and Best Buddies provides a perfect avenue for the three of us to take our minds off athletics while growing personally at the same time. It has allowed us to have an enriched college experience and the opportunity to impact other circles of people.
Being a part of the Best Buddies organization has been beyond worth it. I plan to continue my membership throughout college and maintain my amazing friendship with Cassie.
Five! Four! Three! Two! One!
I suddenly found myself sprinting across the field to my teammates and celebrating Texas A&M soccer's first-ever Elite Eight win, which meant we had advanced to the College Cup for the first time in school history. The moments that followed—taking pictures, hugging coaches, hearing fireworks and, of course, "sawing 'em off" with our great fans—painted a perfect picture of our hard work paying off. That's exactly what that season and that tough game were all about: hard work.
The game against the Nittany Lions was a dogfight, but two goals by Allie Bailey and a very gritty effort by everyone in maroon and white were enough to send us on to the final four, which was further than any A&M soccer team had ever gone before.
The memory will forever be etched in my mind.
The journey of reaching that goal is just as memorable. It started with pre-training camp fitness sessions and pickup games every morning at 6:30 a.m. Being a freshman, I was amazed at the dedication and self-motivation of literally every girl on the team. I could already tell I was part of a winning program.
In August, preseason two-a-days began and the work rate only increased; we were a determined group with a big goal in mind. Once our season began on Aug. 15, the entire semester was a whirlwind. We had two-hour practices every Monday-Thursday, which would usually be accompanied with treatment an hour before and after each session. Fridays and Sundays—game days—were our favorite days. Those were the days we were able to see the fruits of our labor and put our love for the game on full display.
Athletics and academics are very important to us, but balancing the two can be difficult. There have been days when I have started at 7:30 a.m. with two or three classes followed by soccer from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. After grabbing dinner, I would study for at least two hours at study hall before finally going home around 8:30 p.m.
Road game travel adds another dimension. Generally, when we are not playing, we are sitting in our hotel rooms studying and taking proctored tests and quizzes. There are definitely many stressful moments, but we always manage to get everything done. We are very proud that our team routinely averages one of the highest GPAs of any team at A&M, and that shows how much work everyone puts in off the field. We definitely hold a high standard for each other and expect maximum effort from everyone.
But there is even more to being a student-athlete at Texas A&M. Many Aggies spend their freshman year becoming involved in one or more student organizations, but student-athletes usually don't have enough time to commit to much outside of sports or academics.
However, two of my teammates, Mikaela Harvey and Stephanie Malherbe, and I wanted something more despite our busy schedules. The three of us were determined to broaden our circle of friends and meet new people. We desired a more complete, well-rounded college experience and all that came with it. We wanted to give back to the community and also be a part of something outside of athletics at this wonderful university.
Â
Stephanie and Mikaela stumbled across a flier for the Best Buddies organization. Intrigued, we decided to look into it. Best Buddies is an organization that pairs college students with adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in hopes of creating meaningful and lasting relationships. After attending a meeting, we realized that this was exactly the sort of organization we had been looking for.
Best Buddies paired me with a woman named Cassie. I was ecstatic to meet her, but I was a little nervous, too. What if she didn't like me? What if she didn't really want to talk to me?
Cassie put my nerves to rest the second I met her. She greeted me with a huge hug and a winning smile, and I quickly found out that Cassie is one of the most outgoing, full-of-life people I have ever met. Her joy and love for life are contagious, and I couldn't imagine having a better buddy.
Cassie participates in a bowling league specifically for people with IDD, so most of my Tuesday nights are spent watching her bowl and intermittently talking about everything under the sun.
She is quite competitive, which is definitely common ground for the two of us. Cassie gets frustrated when she doesn't do as well as she had hoped and she rejoices when she nails a strike or spare. I love moments of emotion like these because they give me opportunities to empathize with her or celebrate her accomplishments. It's a great experience to watch her do something she is so passionate about.
Aside from bowling, Best Buddies often plans events for buddies to attend together. We have had dress-up Halloween parties, Christmas parties, charity walks and there will be a prom in May. I have a special love for events like these because they are opportunities to really get to know Cassie and hear about her life. I learn about the kind of experiences and things that have made her who she is. We're able to open up to each other in these moments and form a lasting relationship. I truly cherish my chats with Cassie and count them each as a significant blessing.
Â
Participating in Best Buddies and forming a relationship with Cassie taught me so much last semester. I learned how to communicate effectively in a new situation outside of my comfort zone. Before Best Buddies, I had experienced very little interaction with people with IDD, and being a freshman, I wasn't quite accustomed to meeting new people and having to work hard to form new friendships. It has been an incredible growing experience for me. I've gained many new perspectives, and I have had the pleasure of seeing the pure happiness this organization brings to everyone involved.
Â
Best Buddies was the perfect way to get involved outside of soccer. Sometimes there are days when Stephanie, Mikaela and I need to get away from all things soccer, and Best Buddies provides a perfect avenue for the three of us to take our minds off athletics while growing personally at the same time. It has allowed us to have an enriched college experience and the opportunity to impact other circles of people.
Being a part of the Best Buddies organization has been beyond worth it. I plan to continue my membership throughout college and maintain my amazing friendship with Cassie.