Stephanie Sommer '15 Recruiting Profile

During high school, I was able to learn how much playing soccer meant to me.  For my first two years, I attended a very large high school where the cross country coach would not allow any of his runners to play another sport.  He considered running a year round activity.  I had just began to run competitively in junior high and was having a lot of success, so I decided to choose cross country over soccer.  I was able to letter for a nationally ranked team during my sophomore year, but knew there was something missing.  The summer between my sophomore and junior years, my parents moved to another area.  When I visited the high school and realized I could do both sports, I was very excited.  The minute I started playing again, I realized how much I had missed soccer.  I was able to complete in both during my junior and senior years.

During my two years in junior college, I have learned a lot about myself.  I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to play soccer, both for the love of the game and to help in keeping me organized.  Moving away from home and having no one to remind you about your studies was a huge adjustment.  Having soccer keep me busy has helped me stay focused on my studies.  I found during my freshman year during the off season, I had much more down time and had a more difficult time staying on top of my studies.  For me, that's a win / win situation, playing the game I love also helps me stay focused and get better grades.