How do you manage two sports at a time? What is your schedule like?
It has been time consuming, but super rewarding to balance two sports at once. I usually spend after school by going to track practice first, and then I try to make my way over to soccer practice to catch the end of it to get some time in with that team. On days I have a soccer game, I spend more time at track practice, because the game isn’t until 7 usually. Or if I have a meet for track, I have to miss soccer. It is a balancing act that can get hard but it is worth it because I want to fully dedicate myself to each sport that I love and have limited time with in high school.
What keeps you motivated throughout your season?
Track is a team sport in some aspects, but what I do is super individual. Luckily, I thrive on personal growth in all areas of my life, so getting to see growth and development throughout the season is a big motivator because I strive to improve daily. I also think knowing that the season gets more important as it goes on and the last meet is state, so I work to be the best I can be and peak at the end. I love competing and the grind keeps me busy and feeling like I’m working to be the best person and version of myself I can be. The season goes by super fast so it’s important to stay disciplined and create motivation to keep pushing and enjoying.
What sacrifices do you have to make in order to play soccer and track at the same time?
Like I said before, sometimes I miss one sport for the other. Obviously this year, because of doing track in college, I have spent more time at track than soccer. This can be hard because I lose time with my team and a sport I love playing. I feel that this yeah especially because it is my last year playing soccer at a super competitive level, so I want to enjoy my time with my team and on the field, but because of my commitment to track and the opportunities it has provided me I have been limited in my soccer time as I have had to learn and want to put track first. I am super lucky to have coaches that allow me to do this and blessed to be able to have the abilities to succeed in each way.
How long have you been playing each sport? (Soccer and Track)
I have been playing soccer since Micro kickers when I was about 4, which makes this year a tough goodbye to soccer since I’ve been playing almost my whole life. I have done track since about 3rd grade. My dad got me into track, because he was a collegiate thrower, which was a blessing because I probably would have never crossed paths with track otherwise until high school so I am grateful for him and the opportunities that the sport he introduced me to is something I love and that has provided me so much opportunity.
What steps did you take to get recruited for track?
The recruiting process is long and difficult, but super educational and rewarding. Working hard and drawing attention to myself was a big factor, especially being able to win a state championship my sophomore year really helped me build a name for myself and start to connect with coaches who followed me or reached out to me. My junior year and senior year I really had to start narrowing options and think about what I wanted to do in college more seriously. I had thought about playing soccer in college for a long time so I was trying to reach out to coaches for that as well at various points by email and sending highlight tapes. I reached out to coaches for track as well from coaches who I had talked to prior and new ones who I wanted to reach out to. It took me until fall of senior year to make a decision after weighing pros and cons of all the places and taking visits. It’s supper important to find a place that feels right. Ultimately I ended up at Illinois State and I was recruited by the coach there due to connections and his interest, so I had to keep that relationship strong and explore all they had to offer.
What advice would you give to other student athletes?
Work hard and push yourself to your full potential, but never forget to enjoy the journey and connect with the coaches and people that really make it special. Building connections and making a name for yourself takes effort and work, but it is super rewarding to see opportunities come to you and see personal growth. Focusing on school and bettering yourself in other areas of life is crucial to being a great athlete because being a well rounded person helps you grow and prepares you for life outside of sports. I am looking forward to starting a new chapter of opportunity and personal growth, and can not wait to push myself to get better every day.
How do you avoid feeling burnt out?
I avoid getting burnt out in a variety of ways, but I think it is different for everyone. It is important to have a good school and sports life, but it needs to be balanced with a fun personal life. Kind of a work hard play hard mentality. I love to hangout with family and friends, and do fun things that take my mind off the things that always fill my days. It’s also super important to eat and drink well, get good rest (I really value my sleep), and take care of your body with warming up and stretching and strength and conditioning. The biggest battle is with my mind, similar to other athletes. It is crucial that athletes have good support systems and set goals. Having values like these will set athletes on a positive path towards success and help them stay healthy in their minds to prevent burn out.
