Varsity Soccer Player Shirzad: ‘Collegiate Atletics Was Always The Dream

VARSITY SOCCER PLAYER SHIRZAD:

‘COLLEGIATE ATHLETICS WAS ALWAYS THE DREAM’

Emma Shirzad and I first intersected more than three years ago. She and her classmate, Madeline Hart, were playing on the boys’ middle school football team and I was thrilled to profile both pioneering young women for our School’s magazine, The Buccaneer. I knew then that it wouldn’t be my last time writing — and bragging — about Shirzad.

Emma Shirzad’s first memories are framed by soccer. The youngest of four siblings, she remembers afternoons spent kicking around a ball on the sidelines of their games. Shirzad’s first official foray into the sport was in third grade when her mom signed her up for travel soccer.

“Collegiate athletics was always the dream. For these travel teams, playing collegiate athletics was the expectation,” Shirzad said.

That dream will become reality for Shirzad in the fall when she steps two cleated feet onto the turf at Carnegie Mellon University as a student-athlete.

Shirzad credits Benjamin and its coaches with fostering her love of the sport.

“My favorite memory from Benjamin was playing in the District finals when I was a freshman. As the game came to a close, we were tied with Oxbridge. We went into penalty kicks, and Coach Chaplan chose me as one of the five PK (penalty kick) takers. Being only a freshman, I was overtaken with nerves. Although we lost, I still made my shot and to know Coach Chaplan had that much faith in me at such a young age really boosted my confidence,” said Shirzad.

Shirzad said she is grateful to Chaplan who served as her mentor at Benjamin.

“He not only brought me up from middle school, but also started me both those years. Being so young, I was nervous and was always scared to fail. He always encouraged me and had so much faith I could execute my job on the field. His believing in me allowed me to realize I should believe in myself too,” Shirzad said.

Although she’s looking forward to her future plans, Shirzad said that being a student-athlete during the COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult, especially missing the love of the game and the opportunity to play with her teammates.

Despite the current climate, Shirzad encourages fellow student-athletes to work hard on and off the field.

“Athletically, you will only become a better athlete if you push yourself. Off the field, put as much effort into your academics as you do on the field. You never want your academics to hold you back from athletic opportunities in college,” Shirzad said.