Posted by Sara Gress (05-08), Assistant Coach
Soccer has always been the driving force behind my life. It is pretty much the only reason I went to college and ended up in Billings. I never questioned whether I would go on to play soccer at the collegiate level; I had no idea what I wanted to major in, but I knew I wanted to kick a ball. I was actively pursuing other schools when I came on my recruiting trip to MSUB. But after I visited MSUB and met the team, I knew my decision was made. I can remember the exact moment I made up my mind. The girls were openly discussing what only soccer players who are way too close do: farting. That’s all it took. My high school and club teams were both very close families who spent every minute together. After spending a weekend with the MSUB team, I knew that same environment existed at the program here. Upon returning home, I promptly told my other prospective schools ‘Thanks, but I am going to verbally commit to the program with the most flatulence’.
When I came to Billings for my freshman preseason, I was prepared for making new life-long friends and bonding with teammates; I was not, however, ready for the new levels I would have to push myself to. I quickly learned that college soccer is an entirely different beast than club or high school. Honestly, during my first month of being in Billings, I often thought of quitting and returning to Boise. But that would be taking the easy way out. My teammates are the reason I stuck it out that first month. While running sprints that I thought were going to make me fall over and barf out my lungs, the girls around me were constantly supporting me and helping me learn that it is possible to conquer my personal limits. Everyone was sweating it out and suffering right along with me.
As I continued on through my four years at MSUB, every year I worked to improve myself as a player, student and person. I wanted to be better than I was last year, and I wanted to be better than everyone else. I told myself I could become one of the fittest members of the team; my senior year I played every minute of every game. I told myself I could take an active leadership role; my junior and senior years I was co-captain. I told myself I could be one of the best players in the conference; my senior year I was named to the GNAC First Team. I told myself I could be better academically; my senior year I was named to the NSCAA Scholar All Region First Team. I set goals for myself and I achieved them. I achieved them by working hard in the off-season, when no one was watching. I achieved them by realizing the only limits on what you can accomplish are the limits you impose on yourself. I achieved them by being surrounded and supported by a group of teammates and friends who have become my second family. Without them and this program, my life would have taken a much different course and I would not be the person I am now.
I am back with the MSUB Women’s Soccer program now, but this time as an assistant coach. I am proud to be an alumni of this team and am honored for the chance to help the next generation of players get the most out of their experience at MSUB. When you start your collegiate playing career as a freshman, it seems as if your senior year will never come. But it does, and it comes faster than expected. Hopefully when other players look back on their time at MSUB, they see what I do: a time when they could function on three hours of sleep, run harder than they thought possible, kick a ball with skill and style, eat more than a 15 year old boy going through a growth spurt, and become someone they didn’t realize they could be.
