Nov. 10, 2016
I would describe my style of play as tenacious and aggressive. Being physical is definitely part of the game, especially in the SEC.
Kaleigh Kurtz
I would rather post a shutout than score a goal.
I would describe my style of play as tenacious and aggressive. Being physical is definitely part of the game, especially in the SEC. You just have to be able to take some hits, and be able to give them out as well.
If our goalkeeper is having to make a lot of saves, then I’m not doing my job right.
As a defender, my job is to be a leader because I can see the entire field. I also try and direct people who are in front of me, and make sure everyone is on the same page. As a center back at South Carolina, we have an important role of distributing the ball in trying to generate the attack, or be able to relieve pressure whenever they need to bring it all the way back and rebuild.
I think I’ve always been a natural leader, and it comes with the position as well.
The toughest part about my job is staying mentally engaged for 90 minutes. Sometimes when fatigue sets in, it can get difficult to continue to keep talking while your breathing gets heavier.
What’s going through my mind when the opponent scores is, how can I fix the problem so that it doesn’t happen again, and how can I give my team a lift when we give up a goal.
As a defender, you know you’re not going to get all of the accolades. Offense scores goals and sells tickets. Defense wins championships. We’ve all built our pride around defense. We always tell each other before a match that we are a wall.
Being named SEC Defensive Player of the Year meant that my team is unbelievable, otherwise I wouldn’t even get looked at for it.
Winning the SEC means pride in my school every time I put on that jersey. I just remember how much I love this game, how much I love this university, and how much it means to be a Gamecock.
My coaches have believed in me a lot, and they’ve pushed me as a player.
Now that it’s the postseason, I’m going to take it one game at a time and remember that every single game could be my last. I’m going to work my tail off.
