Nov. 24, 2008 (Final Entry)
Although our season is officially finished in terms of games, our team is not finished growing together and working to grow closer to the Lord.
Last season, we decided to leave a legacy for future generations of CU soccer players, so we started sponsoring two little girls from the Dominican Republic. Because we believe it is important to minister to people by not only ministering to their spiritual needs but also ministering to their physical needs, we decided to sponsor children through Compassion International.
Through our sponsorship, the little girls in the Dominican have opportunities to go to school, and they also have more food and other amenities. They also learn more about Christ through their education. This activity not only helps the little girls overseas, but also it helps unite us as a team, and it helps us to learn to give sacrificially.
In addition to sponsoring these girls, our team has also decided to have a Christian service project in the near future. We are not sure exactly what we should do, but we understand that we have a responsibility to use our gifts on the soccer field and in the surrounding community.
So, even though our season is finished, we are still maintaining our team pillars and working to serve Christ through our every action.
Nov. 17, 2008
The road to the NCCAA Nationals is still not finished for our soccer team. We won our first game in regional play on Saturday, so we are gearing up for another cold game this coming Wednesday. We will be heading to Spring Arbor, and hopefully, this will bring us one step closer to the national tournament.
However, even though our win on Saturday in the first round of the tournament was exciting, we have had so many other exciting accomplishments this year. We have had eleven wins, the most that a CU women’s team has collected since 2004. We have also qualified for conference post season play and won an NCCAA regional playoff game for the first time since 2004. On a smaller level, we defeated Mount Vernon for the first time in the history of the Cedarville women’s soccer program, and for the first time, we won both games in our Cedarville Classic Tournament.
This season has been filled with exciting firsts and accomplishments, but our focus still stands in developing our relationships as sisters in Christ, not just athletes on the playing field.
Nov. 10, 2008
It’s hard to be excited about playing soccer when the weather outside is frigid, and the sun doesn’t come out from behind the clouds. It’s also hard to continue playing after a regular season play has ended—classes are getting more stressful, friends are demanding more time, and injuries are taking a toll. However, our soccer team has made the decision to continue playing hard and with determination due to the fact that we want to honor Christ on the field, and we want to continue growing as a team.
In an effort to continue bonding as a team, we traveled to Cincinnati last week to watch the U.S Women’s National Team play the Korean National Team. Watching a professional team not only allowed us to improve our skills and see how people at an upper level play our sport, but also renewed a passion for soccer in many of our hearts. Additionally, it was so refreshing to interact with each other outside of the context of the playing field or the bus. During the season it is easy to get frustrated with one another and to let the game overshadow our friendships, but this trip allowed us to connect again as friends and sisters in Christ.
To continue honoring Christ on the field, we, as a team, have pledged to stay committed to our team pillars regardless of wins or losses. We strive to be humble, to be team focused, to be hard working, to leave a legacy, and to be Christ centered every time we walk on the field. It’s not an easy task, but through our team Bible study and team meetings, we are learning what it means to honor Christ on the field.
We still have more tournament games to play, but as this season continues, our team hopes to stay united and obedient to Christ, regardless of our post-season record.
Erin Hayes is a senior defender from Cedarville, Ohio. She is a Dean’s List student as an English major.
