Mallory Connealy - “Student Athlete Perseveres Through College Career” [Teresa DeGeorge

Student Athlete Perseveres Through College Career

By J1 Reporter Mallory Connealy

College athletics is truly a test of determination. The expectation of consistent hard work, performance and improvement creates a high stress environment for student athletes. While competing against extreme opponents, players are not only worried about their performance on the field but also within their academic studies. Teresa DeGeorge exemplified these necessary qualities required of a student athlete after graduating from Marian and while playing for Creightons women’s soccer team in the 1990s.

When DeGeorge began her academic and athletic career at Creighton University, she couldn’t rely on her usual support system of her family. She had to explore and gain new relationships to substitute for her family’s supportive efforts.“It was extremely difficult to find people to talk to about my struggles with the team and failed attempts at balancing the important aspects of my life while at college,” DeGeorge said. The mental health of college athletes often becomes a sacrifice made by players in an attempt to excel at different aspects of their careers. DeGeorge was able to find a sports psychologist to confide in which was beneficial to her ability to

adapt to the new environment.

The biggest difference between athletics at the high school versus the collegiate level is the time commitment. DeGeroge said, “for me it wasn’t just about the sport, it was about the discipline.” As committed players, you are always expected to show up and bring a good attitude and a hunger for competition. The rigorous schedules of college athletes is truly a tug-a-war between classes and training. Trading off between studying for challenging classes and conditioning to sustain endurance, a new challenge arises every single day and student athletes are expected to overcome each obstacle that stands in their way to success in the classroom and as well as the field.

DeGeorge also commented on the culture of

a college team. She said, “You spend all of your time with these people. The thrill of winning and the agony of defeat was all done together.” The importance of team comradery in college is vital to the team success. There are low moments and high moments on the team. Each person is working through their own problems so by coming together as a team instead of a group of individuals changes the outcome completely. One learning experience that DeGeorge shared was when she was confronted with a choice between her studies and her team’s betterment. After playing against a team in Chicago she was forced to make a choice between studying for a big nursing test or going out with the team and celebrating. In the moment, DeGeorge wished she would have gone out with the team but looking back she says,” it was a necessary sacrifice that aided my future career in completing nursing school 8 and eventually graduating

“If you have the determination, grit and perseverence then the opportunities for student athletes are endless.” -Coach Teresa DeGeorge

with a degree in nursing.” It is important to make conscious choices to do things for your future, which is an extremely challenging task in the moment.

Another struggle that DeGeorge was faced with was the fitness testing in college. For a sport like soccer that requires a lot of running, with frequent shifts from sprints to jogs, it is important for players to sustain high levels of endurance and mobility. In order for athletes to start playing in games, they are required to pass a series of fitness tests in order to prove their ability to compete at the collegiate level for sports.

While DeGeorge never failed any of her fitness tests while at Creighton. She was still faced with challenges while training for the tests. For some players, the fitness tests came naturally due to their raw talent for running. However, this was not the case for DeGeorge. “It was hard when other girls made it easy without training and they blew by me while running,” she said. Although DeGeorge did not have a natural knack for running, she was a very determined player and was still able to showcase her outstanding soccer abilities when it mattered most. It was just difficult to see that sometimes people get lucky with raw talent while others are forced to really work for their achievements. However DeGeorge believes that her sense of accomplishment was worth the extra long days and tiresome nights that she spent committed to achieving excellence on her own terms.

DeGeorge said her most proud accomplishment while playing soccer at Creighton was “going full circle and completing four years.” While DeGeorge was faced with a lot of adversity through the constant change of the coaching staff and the balance of studying to become a nurse, she persevered and gained the experience of a lifetime. Looking back today, she doesn’t have any regrets about her athletic career and is cherished with the memories of team comradery, mental and physical exhaustion that lead to championship opportunities and the skill to preserve through any challenge or adversity that she faces in her life. DeGeorge puts all of these life lessons into practice today as Marians head varsity soccer coach.