From 6am practices to weeklong road trips, life as a college soccer player demands passion and commitment. My name is Alex Fuller and I am currently a junior at Point Loma Nazarene University where I play on the Women’s Soccer Team.
Soccer has always been a huge part of my life. I grew up in a family centered around soccer. My dad played at the collegiate level for Notre Dame and my 5 younger siblings have all either played or currently play club soccer. Club soccer definitely requires major dedication. Similarly, college soccer calls for tremendous perseverance and determination. Being a member of the PLNU Women’s Soccer Team has been both challenging and rewarding. It has been a difficult road but at the same time, the most fun and fulfilling part of my life.
Life as a college soccer player is like being on a rollercoaster; with its ups and downs. There is nothing like being introduced to the crowd before a game or driving up to a hotel that reads “Welcome PLNU Women’s Soccer Team!”. I cannot begin to explain the satisfying feeling I get from representing my university through soccer and playing in front of screaming fans. At the same time, when I have to wake up before the sun rises for practice, I am not as giddy about my commitment.
A college soccer player’s daily routine consists of 4 things: class, food, practice, and sleep. Personally, I have to have all of my classes scheduled before practice at 3pm. Night class is almost impossible during season. If I am able to find 5 minutes to run into the cafeteria for a sandwich before practice, it’s a good day. In total, the amount of time I spend down at the field each day is around 4 hours. This includes time to get taped before practice, practice time, and time for icing and treatment after practice. By the time I leave the field for the day, the only thing I can think about is sleep, after I watch my daily episode of Seinfeld, of course.
Time management has to be the most difficult task of any student athlete. Balancing soccer with class, homework, and a social life is no easy task. Some good advice our coach gave my team was to take less units during season, and load up your plate with a little extra in the off-season. This has been key for me as a Business student. I save my tougher upper division classes for the off-season and take my General Education classes during season. Most of my homework has to be done on the bus during road trips. A social life is almost non-existent during season. Being on the road for half of the weeks of the semester makes it difficult to be an active part of the university community. But at the same time, you have your team with you which makes it all okay.
As much as the challenges take a toll on you, the rewards make it all worthwhile. When I walk around campus and get a “great game yesterday!” from a student I don’t even know, I feel proud and purposeful. I get so excited to pick up the school newspaper the day after a game to read the game review. Being on a college team is like nothing else. All of my best friends are on my team. We go through everything together from complaining about our coach to winning a big game. We are with each other most of the time. We support each other while competing for that starting spot. We challenge each other, battling every practice. We are completely devoted to each other and nothing can break the bond of our team. Our team motto is “play for each other”. We leave our bodies on the field, for each other. I do not know what I would do with out those girls.
I would not change a thing about my college years in any way. My life as a college soccer player has been amazing. I never want it to end. I encourage anyone interested in playing college soccer or any college sport for that matter to pursue it. It is a decision you will not regret. You will make friends and memories that will last a lifetime. You will also feel fulfilled and stay in shape while having fun! What’s not to like?
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