Bitter-Sweet End

Courtney Harvey, Junior, Billings, MT.

"Anyone who has played a sport at any level will tell you that you can't focus on the bad things that might happen in a game or you won't be able to function properly when you are in the moment. You must be able to relax and compete aggressively while approaching the game with great confidence. It is the fear of failure that drives you, but it is visualizing success that gives you the positive mind-set and confidence to feel like you can accomplish anything."
~Drew Brees

For those of you who don't know, Drew Brees is the starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. Although I am not a Saints Fan (GO BRONCOS!!) I found his book very inspiring and would recommend it to anyone who plays or is interested in sports and has faith. As I sat down to read Drew's memoir for the second time this year, the above quote seemed to jump out at me with a heavy importance. Over the past couple years I have realized how important the element of confidence is to any aspect of life and most definitely to soccer. With that being said, I believe the best way to achieve confidence is to be as readily prepared for the task at hand as possible and to surround yourself with people you can count on to do the same. I know that is exactly the case for the team and family at MSUB. That is why I will undoubtedly say the achievements and positive possibilities we can accomplish are endless!

I have also learned to dedicate my hardwork to and be motivited by those who have faith and believe in me rather than trying to prove the naysayers wrong. No matter what I'm doing... running sprints in the scorching heat or the early mornings in the upper gym (sorry to bring that up girls, I know it's a sensitive subject to most of us), lifting, kicking long ball after long ball with my left foot, or practicing my defensive headers... I think about the various people in my life who have inspired me to get where I am today. Consider the teammates, coaches, family members, and friends who have helped you and believed in you along the way. Allow that to motivate you through the remainder of the summer and into the fall. It's more rewarding than you could ever expect!

Although I may be kicking myself in a couple weeks for saying this (hehe), I have never been this excited for pre-season to start! The end of summer is always bitter-sweet but I can't wait to see everyone and begin the 2011-2012 season. I am eager to start playing with old and new teammates and to see all the positive ways the incoming freshmen class will impact our program!

Hope everyone's summers have been all you hoped them to be and we will be seeing eachother soon!

Progress

Danielle Gordon, Senior, Atkins, IA.

As I sat in the same spot that I sat in twelve years ago during the '99 Women's World Cup Final, I clenched my teeth, held my breath, and kept my eyes glued during every break away, every shot, every save, down to the final PK that determined the fate of the US team. Memories from the previous, victorious game flashed through my mind and I sat on hope that the same result would transpire. Unfortunately this was not their year to repeat history and the bitter taste of a loss will flood their senses for time to come, but all that matters now is the progression towards the next opportunity for advancement.

Progression is something that the MSUB Women's Soccer program is consistently striving for. From the beginning of the program and our first season to the very last second of the 2nd game in the NCAA Division II Tournament, fifteen years after the birth of the program, we have made progress. The upcoming season is drawing near with high expectations and the only thing that can continue the progress in an upward direction is work that has been put in throughout the history of the program and will continue to be put in for the future of the program.

I am looking forward to our team persisting and making further strides in the program this season. From the words of Benjamin Franklin: "Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning."
With that being said, I look forward to progress this next season and in turn, success.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and I cannot wait to see you all here in a few weeks!!

Danielle

Summer Check In

Kristen Kastelic, Junior, Phoneix, AZ.

Hi everyone!!! Hope you are all having a great summer! I can’t believe we only have one month left!

My summer has been great so far. I have been working as a summer camp counselor, hanging out with my friends and family, and doing the summer workouts (my dog Buddy likes to do them too :)! ). I have made two short trips to California, but mostly I have just been relaxing at home in Arizona. It has been super hot lately and scorpions keep sneaking into our house so that sucks, but other than that it’s so nice to be home!

Just a few days ago a giant “haboob” dust storm passed through Phoenix. It’s a really weird name, but that’s what it’s called and if you’re bored you should Google it, its crazy looking!

On Thursday, my boyfriend Ryan flew in and surprised me so that was awesome because I haven’t seen him all summer!

Although it’s been nice being home, I am really looking forward to the season starting! I am excited for the games, the traveling, meeting the new freshman and being with the team again! I know we are all determined to be the GNAC champions this year and making it further in the NCAA tournament!! It is sure to be a really exciting fall season and I can’t wait!

Everyone keep up the hard work and enjoy the rest of your summer!!! :)

Sumer Check In

Jen Larsen, Junior, Mesa AZ.

Sixty-two more days until our first regular season game, to enjoy summer, to do summer workouts. Sixty-two more days until our team reunites and is back together once again. Sixty-two days seems like a long time…but it will definitely go by fast! Half of our summer is already gone and in 62 days, our family will be back together once again, along with some new editions. I am SUPER excited to meet all of our new freshman and make them part of our MSUB family!

My summer has been quite an adventure so far! I have been studying abroad in Spain for the past 6 weeks and I am sad that I have to come home tomorrow! I have wanted to go to Spain for a long time and my wish finally came true! I stayed in Salamanca, which is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. I stayed in an apartment with a host mom, 6 other girls and a cute little dog. Although I was in class five days a week, I was able to travel on the weekends and see a lot of cool places. I saw the beaches in Portugal and Barcelona, the old architecture in Avila, the beautiful landscape of Segovia, and the museums in Toledo!

Living in Salamanca is…different. While in Salamanca, although I have enjoyed my time, I am excited to get back to the states where I fit in a little bit more! Even if I wore what the Spanish girls wore, my blonde hair and white skin still made me an outcast. Not to mention, I usually had a soccer ball in my hand and soccer cleats on my back. I thought that everyone in Spain played soccer…apparently not the girls because I got so many strange looks for being a girl with a soccer ball! I actually found a team to play with here, too…SHOCK: they were all boys. It is a little bit tougher than playing with American girls my age:).

After I leave Spain, I will just be hanging out with family and friends until preseason starts up in August! I cannot wait to be back in 704 with my roommates cooking, cleaning and having a good time. And, although I am very sad to end my summer vacations, I am very excited for the upcoming season and I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish this year. Looking forward to a great season filled with many good memories, laughs and WINS!

FINSIH STRONG <(“)

Summer Check In

Tyshea Davis, Senior, Idaho Falls, ID.

Summer kicked off with a late start for good weather, but not for soccer training. This past week, I was able to work with the MSUB Men’s Soccer coach Dan McNally and some of his incoming players put on a youth day camp at our very own turf field. I had the 5-6 yr-olds, and they were such a blast! The oldest group, a U12 local travel team amazed me with some of their skills, and they could really kick the ball! One kid scored with a header every corner kick I served them in a span of 15 minutes; I was thoroughly impressed with our youth here in Billings.

Additionally, I helped with MSUB Golf in putting on a huge golf tournament fundraiser that was really great, as well. Billings own celebrity, Jeff Ballard who played for Stanford and later the Baltimore Oreoles was there, and I got to watch his sweet lefty put. Even Coach Krakowiak came out for a fun rookie game of golf :) haha.

The weather has alas been cooperating with the coinciding summer season, which is flying by. We have a sweet overnight camp coming up in August I am looking forward to helping coach, and I’m just missing all the girls!

Beginning of the End

Kelley Minard, Senior from Helena, MT

Hello all! Hope everyone’s summer is holding up its end of the bargain promising hot temperatures and long summer nights filled with friends, family, and fun. I can tell you that Billings, MT is finally seeing some summer weather….as of June 16. It’s been pretty crazy here with flood warnings and tornado sirens, but it finally seems to be looking up.

My summer has been quite a busy one so far. As I start my senior year of college, I find myself stressing out a little bit about venturing out into the real world. What am I going to do? Where do I want to live? Should I continue with a Masters? Should I move to Mexico and become a beach bum? It’s all coming so fast and I am not sure if I am quite ready for what the world has to offer me…..considering I haven’t quite found it yet and I am still pondering what to do with my life. Recently I have discovered an interest in realty. It seems like the perfect starting point to a career. Why not?

As of two months from now, we will be in our second day of preseason. WHOA. I need to get this out of the way…………WHOOOOOOO LAST PRESEASON EVER!!!!!! But seriously, its bittersweet. Obviously preseason isn’t the most fun thing of anyone’s summer, but the bonds that are made and the relationships that develop are worth the physical and mental rollercoaster of preseason. It’s strange to think that this time next year I won’t be doing the day to day workouts or grabbing a soccer ball every chance I can. I will officially be booted into the reality of a college graduate. YIKES.

I look forward to seeing all my teammates, new and old, and reuniting to practice and train to the best of our potential. I have missed these girls way too much to be away from them this long. With all the changes that have happened this year already, we have become stronger and will remain strong no matter what else is thrown at us. This year will be great, I can feel it. Have a good summer and enjoy the sun!

Finish Strong.

Enjoying the Sun

Jenn Brookshire, Sophomore from Venture, CA



I hope everyone is having a great summer! My summer has been pretty laid back. I spend most of the time relaxing by the pool or beach or just hanging out with my family!! Whether it’s taking my brother to the farm or beating my sister at board games!! The workouts have been good and I run with my sister who plays on a college team too!! Danica is visiting for a week so we will be hanging out at the beach, going to universal studios, and riding the water rides at hurricane harbor! My relatives from France are coming to my house on July 7 to spend some quality family time together!!! I’m looking forward to that since I haven’t seen them in a year. It should be a pretty interesting month!! I go to Costa Rica in a month with my family, which will be so fun!! I have never been there before and I have heard it is an amazing place to visit! We have a bunch of things planned, like zip lining through the rain forest and swimming at the beach!! They only speak Spanish there so I definitely need to learn a few words in Spanish!!!! I hope everyone is having a great time at home or wherever you may be. I look forward to seeing all of my teammates in August once again for preseason.

Enjoy the sun!!!