A Dream on the Nile

I was able to cross more than a few things off of my bucket list this month. To take our first much needed weekend off, Jill, Turner, and I jumped in a Matatu and headed about an hour and a half down the road to Jinja, Uganda. To say the very least, it was an unbelievable, breathtaking weekend. We white-water rafted the Nile River, bungee jumped over the river, and simply floated down a few rapids, taking in every inch of the beautiful scenery. An email from a friend the other day told me that God uses the sky and the landscape as a sort of daily canvas that He paints on. I have never understood that more than I have during these few days in Jinja. He wants us to see these beautiful pictures He creates all over the world, and also take a second to stop and enjoy everything He has given us. This weekend was filled with adventure, beauty, relaxation, and thrill. And the whole time I could hear God saying, "Look at this, I painted this for you!". 

Ugandan Sunsets

I have been searching my brain for things to make this next blog about. There are so many things that I could explain, or try to explain, but honestly, many of these experiences are just too difficult to put into words. I will settle with something simple, but it's something that makes each week even that much greater. 

Jill and I signed up for a 10k fun run along the beautiful Lake Victoria in the beginning of October. The goalkeeper inside of me cringes at saying this, but I actually can't wait to run it!  So, as we begin our "training", we spend a few beautiful evenings a week running around the pitch in our small area of Nsambya. Luckily, we are never alone. We have the the privilege of two running partners. Ishara, 11 years old, and Sam, 12 years old. If we say we will be at the pitch at a certain time, they are waiting at the top of our hill 10 minutes early. They are so eager to run with us each day, even though they are running on rocks and dirt with broken sandals. Jill and I listen to our iPods as we crank out lap after lap, and both boys are running hard with us, nearly every step of the way. They keep up, too! In their plastic, barely useable footwear, as we run beside them in expensive American tennis shoes. I wonder to myself, how is this fair? In plain terms, it's not. It's in no way fair. But, I have to remind myself each time that they are as happy as I am striding around field, gazing at the current game being played, next to friends, as the Ugandan sun sets beautifully in the background. I've learned through the past 8 weeks that life in Uganda, and how it is in many other places, isn't valued on the things we have or the things they have, but it's valued on the people that surround us. Having these two boys as running partners is often the highlight of my week. Walking back down the hill with them, having great conversation, laughing, talking about what's for dinner and how we couldn't have made it through that run without them. And it's always a comfort saying good-bye, because I know when I see them tomorrow I will again be surrounded by great individuals, who care about people. And that's what really matters.

"But know this: When Jesus invites on an adventure, He shapes who we become with

 what happens along the way."   -Bob Goff, Love Does 

Short But Sweet!

I've been having a little trouble with internet and loading pictures, so I'm hoping to write short blogs more often from now on!  Here is one of my favorite highlights from the past few weeks! 

Aaron, one of the summer interns (who sadly just left), ran an AWESOME coaching clinic last week for about 15 Ugandan coaches from different organizations around the area. He put together a packet, ran sessions on field and in the classroom, and ended with a test and celebration for passing the course. I was fortunate to have been able to run a goalkeeping session in the clinic, and it was a blast.  The coaches were so eager to listen and learn and I was just as eager to pass on knowledge that I have learned from some of the best in the States. I was able to run them through our goalkeeper warm-up that I am a little too familiar with, and a crossing session, hitting on the infamous A, B, and C zones of the box. Only a few people will know what zones I am talking about here, but it was such a cool experience being able to share these training sessions that made me such a better player to coaches around the world. How cool is that!

I Believe in Auburn

Thinking back to the past four years, there is no possible way I can accurately sum everything up.  One thing that I have reflected on quite a bit as my time as a student-athlete came to an end, however, was the Auburn Creed.  My experience as a student-athlete has engraved in me each of the personal values that the Auburn Creed represents.  A few of these values stand out to me. 

I believe in hard work, because I know that countless hours with your team in the weight room, on the field, and in the film room can earn your sport's first ever SEC Tournament Title, no matter how big of an underdog you are.  I believe in education, because I've seen the impact a great teacher can have on a struggling student both at the elementary and college level.  I believe in a spirit that is not afraid, because I have become so engulfed in this Auburn Family that I will forever have chills when I see the eagle fly around the stadium.  I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy, because I have found life-long friends that realize a simple hug can cure just about any bad day. In my four years as an Auburn student, I have not only come to know what the creed is, what it means, and what it stands for, but I have learned how to apply it to everyday life and how to truly live by the Auburn Creed. 

From day one, coaches, academic staff, professors, teammates, and classmates have helped me understand how to find my own passions and how to pursue them with an open heart.  I have had an unbelievable experience as a student-athlete at Auburn.  I don't think you will find anywhere else with so many people willing to care, serve, and invest in each individual student. There are many individuals who have had a significant impact on me as a student, an athlete, and as a person.  Each of these people has exemplified of the Auburn Creed and all that it stands for. And because these people believe in all of these things, I will always believe in Auburn and I will always love it. War Eagle!

I could not have asked for a more supportive, accepting, and talented group of girls to spend these last few years with. It has been such a fun ride growing as educators with this crew! So much love for cohort B. WE DID IT! 

Next stop............ Kampala, UGANDA!

No Regrets

I keep telling myself one thing: If it doesn’t hurt, it wasn’t worth it.  These wise words of a former teammate and coach are so simple yet so full of meaning.  You work for something your whole life, with everything you have to give, and suddenly it’s gone.  This is a very difficult thing to endure. Sport is so much more than a game.  It’s filled with passion, emotion, life lessons, and most importantly, relationships.  That same former teammate has taught me that what we get out of all of this, out of soccer, out of being part of a team, is friendships, relationships.  It’s not really about the soccer.  Soccer is a beautiful game, but we ultimately get so much more out of it than a winning or a losing record.  

It wouldn’t be fair if I hung up my cleats and gloves without a proper thank you.  The amount I have grown in the past 3 1/2 years is unreal.  I’ve grown as a soccer player, but more importantly as a person. There is a place for everyone, but I never thought God would bless me with the absolute perfect fit.  From day one I felt at home, and Auburn has evolved into just that, my home.

A wide range of thank yous is more than necessary. The Auburn Soccer Program is a group of people I have learned to love with my whole heart, and these people will forever be a part of my life.  I am still so sad knowing that my time here is done, but I have comfort knowing I call these people in 10 years and ask a favor.  I have grown from an awkward, insecure, wide-eyed freshman into a still awkward, confident senior that appreciates life and love so much more.   If you ever question whether there really is that “family” atmosphere at Auburn that everyone talks and tweets about, there is.

I’ve encountered a wide variety of beautiful people since I began this journey.  I was fortunate to find my best friend in the world.  If I am confident about one thing in this world, it’s that we will still be best friends when we are sitting in our rocking chairs at 80 years old. There are a few special friends who have been through more in the past few years than most people can imagine. More surgeries than you can count on one hand, more heartbreaks than seem fair.  But day after day these girls keep climbing back up to the top, against all odds, when most others would quit.  I admire these girls and their character more than they know, and I am so very thankful for their friendships.  There are teammates that have come and gone, and each one is as special as the next.  Each one of these girls mean so much to me, and I hope our friendships last forever.  The number of coaches – whether it be head, assistant, volunteer – have each taught me something different about soccer and about life.  That sometimes, soccer isn’t the most important thing and that sometimes, you just need a good laugh.  Whether they were laughing at me or with me (I honestly never knew), a laugh is a laugh. The support staff that this university has continues to make every athlete's time here more fulfilling because they are good people who care.  From administrators to trainers to strength and conditioning, and so many more, these individuals can make even the worst days feel not so bad. My seniors.  Each one I have a special relationship with that I cherish.  A best friend, a travel partner, a secretly happy nurse, a little spark plug, and the leader of the wolfepack.  My forever senior class that I love so much.

And of course these girls.. a cohort full of 25 girls with all different experiences and backgrounds, but with one common passion: teaching.  The support these girls have given me through my senior season is unreal! I love this group and am so excited about these girls making a difference in so many classrooms throughout the country (and even the world).  To my cohort girls, thank you!

Finally, my family.  The traveling, the emotions, the heartbreak, the happiness. They have been through it all with me and I couldn't ask for a better support system to belong to.  From day one they were as excited as I was to be apart of this Auburn Family. I love you.

This a thank you to all of the incredible people I love so much. Thank you for making my senior year one that I will never forget, and my career at Auburn a time I will always remember.  The best thing about it is that I am walking away with the one thing we are always told: 

NO REGRETS!

Moments

It’s hard to put into words the opportunity I was given last month!  A teammate, Ana, and I were given another chance to travel to Granada, Nicaragua to work with Soccer Without Borders.  It is an incredible program that gives girls an opportunity to play the beautiful game and form bonds and friendships that may not have been possible otherwise. 

I traveled to Granada last year to work with this same program.  Last year was an eye opening, all around great experience that led me to find a little more of myself while meeting some great people along the way.  However, the trip ended on a negative note.  The group of college students I was with played a game against the Nicaraguan National Team.  It was so much fun! But in the second half I sustained a serious injury to my left knee.  I returned home the next day on crutches and had knee reconstruction surgery about a week later. 

After telling a few people about my upcoming trip, the typical response was, “Wait, isn’t that where you got hurt? Why would you want to go back there?”  Everything I was able to experience in the past two weeks is exactly why I went back.

I could go back for the view alone.  Almost everywhere you go in Nicaragua, you can take in a different yet equally breathtaking view.  The sunsets, the lake, the volcanoes, the rooftops.  Simply looking out the window of Tres Pisos everyday will open your eyes to God's amazing beauty and grace.  What moves me the most about the program, however, is the people!  After a hug and hello, the coaches and many of the girls immediately asked how my injury was and were genuinely concerned about how I was doing.  But I knew that about two weeks after my surgery when I received three beautiful handmade get-well cards in the mail from the Mariposas, the Estrellas, and the Nicoyas. 

Ana and I were able to do and see so many things in these short ten days.  We attended and participated in practices with the girls, as well as the activity nights.  There is so much energy with these girls! I was also able to run a couple of goalkeeping clinics, which was a lot of fun.  The three, year-long interns we had the pleasure of getting to know were incredible and are putting so much hard work into bettering the program.  Their enthusiasm day in and day out was so inspiring.  One of my favorite things were the school visits.  The excitement and enthusiasm of the children at a chance to play soccer was unreal.  Pure passion for the sport! 

We also were able to see some of the beautiful country.  As we hiked Mombacho, kayaked the Isletas, and horseback rode up to Lake Apoyo, I couldn’t help but think about how fortunate I was to be able to experience each one of those moments.  Every moment I experienced while staying in Granada this month expanded my adoration for the country, the people, and the program.  So when people ask me why I went back, I tell them for the view.  For the mangos, and for the sunshine.  But most of all, I went back for the moments with the people and program that I have come to love.

Ana, Alejo, and I after a quick game of pick up at a school visit!

 

Outside of Tres Pisos, our home for the week!

 Swinging through the forest, no big deal!!

Ana and I at the top of Mombacho after an incredible 4-hour hike!

Kayaking the Isletas, the view is unreal.

The view we were able to see everyday outside of Tres Pisos. Looks like a painting.

These pictures are just a small glimpse into what Ana and I were able to experience this summer in Granada.  Another amazing experience that I will never forget.

We Found Love

What a year it has been. For us all. After coming into the conference tournament as a SEVEN seed (out of eight), we brought every ounce of passion, desire, and love for the game we had together and won it all.  It was so much harder to leave school after this semester and I’ve been trying to figure out why.  Is it only because we won a championship and I didn’t want to leave that in the past?  That is a reason, yes, but there is something else that was there this year that has been stronger than ever.

I have always felt a sense of family ever since I stepped onto Auburn’s campus.  But there was something we had this year that I’ve never experienced before! Auburn is all about family, most know that from our football program.  It’s not only within athletics and your individual team, but throughout the entire campus.  After we won in Orange Beach, there were so many people that recognized us, called us out across the concourse, and congratulated us and told us what an incredible thing it was that we had just accomplished. I was Christmas shopping in Auburn the other day, nearly 6 weeks later, and people still congratulated me in the store.

Here are a few pictures that give a small picture of our experience this year in Orange Beach!

Auburn Soccer, though, was something else this year.  We all really saw and felt the end as we rode the bus back to Auburn after we lost our final game.  No one wanted to leave.  We had all been “all in” since the first day of preseason, and we were on such a natural high that no one was ready to say goodbye.  I feel so blessed to be apart of this program, from players to coaches to staff to parents. The support from our parents this year was unbelievable – having a tigerwalk at every game regardless of the location was an added motivation to every match!  Our individual families gave us a prime example of how to be a family on and off the field this year.  Never could I imagine being anywhere else, so, war eagle to that.  It is unreal the amount of support our program had this season, and truly amazing the friendships that were strengthened and formed.  It’s hard to explain in words how much this program means to us all, but it shows when you can’t say goodbye to your teammates without tears!

And yes we adopted the elephant out of our condo, named him, and made him part of the team........ don't judge us please. I guess you could say that down in Orange Beach, we found love in a hopeless place!

WE MISS BABAR!!!!!