Freshman midfielder Melissa Clarke is in her first season with the LSU women’s soccer team and is a player who head coach Brian Lee says has the ability to “make an immediate impact on the program.” Clarke graduated from Norcross High School in Norcross, Ga., with a 4.0 GPA and was named a Soccer Buzz Top 50 Recruit in 2005.
She has earned numerous awards, including the honor of being a U.S. Youth All-American in 2004 and a member of the U16 U.S. National Team the last two years. Clarke hopes to lead the LSU soccer program to the top of the SEC and the nation in her time in Baton Rouge. The entries in this diary are meant to chronicle Clarke’s experiences in her first season as a Division I student-athlete.
Oct. 5, 2005: Diary Entry #6:
First there was Hurricane Katrina. Then came Rita, which left a similar scene of pain, despair and loss for many people in Louisiana and Texas.
The coasts were beaten twice over with the wrath of Mother Nature. Many are left without homes and forced to live in unaccustomed areas due to displacement.
As each new day passes, it brings about a different chapter to this tragic story. For those affected, life still continues. Adjusting to change has proven to be a feat no one person can undertake alone. Combined efforts from the helping hands of the community have given light to much of the destruction. As somber as every day seems, better days will come.
Not only have we as a community and as a school had to fight two major natural disasters, but we as a team have had to bear arms against teams in the SEC. Our first week started off with a tie to Kentucky.
We fought the whole 90 minutes but came up short on finishing opportune chances. At Vanderbilt, the 2-0 final score was the result of minor lapses that, as a team, we have learned from. This past weekend we played Ole Miss and Mississippi State with our record standing at 1-2-1 at the end of the weekend.
In the past, keeping up with class work along with my sport hasn’t been hard. Because I have been a student-athlete for so long, finding some sort of balance or equilibrium has become somewhat habitual.
I’ve found that the most important part of being a successful student-athlete is keeping balance in your chaotic schedule with the right priorities in mind. Distractions are countless, but nonetheless, your focus has to be exceptional enough to stand firm.
Many times it seems that after I’ve completed one assignment, I have two more to finish — then four, then six. With the amount of class work we as athletes have to do, plus practice and social events, you must be focused. Gladly, we are given a solid support system through the athletic department to help us succeed. You can always count on help to be on your side.
Since the first couple weeks of school, juggling all my different obligations has become a challenge, but things are never as complicated as they seem. Prioritization and organization play huge roles in the small margin between success and failure. I feel that once I master this, everything else will be a breeze.