The further I get in my journey at UA, the more amazed I become with our athletes all across campus! I got the pleasure of speaking to a member of our women’s soccer team, Allie Berk. We had an amazing conversation in which I was able to gain insight into the everyday life of an athlete at the Capstone.
Allie is a junior here at UA, and has been on the women’s soccer team since she was a freshman. She came on her first official visit here in highschool. She knew she belonged here from the second she stepped on campus! She was eventually offered a spot on the team and committed to UA her sophomore year of high school. She is from Atlanta, so she had quite the transition into college. Not only was she starting college in a new state, but she was also adjusting to life as a student athlete playing at the collegiate level for the first time. She was also thrown into quite the busy schedule. Morning classes, afternoon practices nearly everyday, and daily wellness rituals keep her on a pretty tight schedule. However, despite the hardships throughout her adjustment, she consistently emphasized how being on such a tight-knit team really helped and how much she loves the life she lives here at UA.
Throughout our conversation, Allie consistently used the word “family”. She describes her close relationship with her coaches, and how they motivate her to be great in all aspects of her life. She knows her coaches care about her far beyond her athletic endeavors. She talks about her closeness to her teammates in such a genuine way. She speaks with such joy when she describes both the time they spend together in their everyday lives and their more special memories. From the stories of their pre-game Dixieland Delight ritual to their summer bonding retreats, it’s so evident what a family this team really is.
It was such a pleasure getting to talk to such an exceptional student athlete! Allie is doing such amazing things on and off the field. Our UA Women’s Soccer Team is currently in season, and I really encourage everyone to go out and support them! Check out their schedule at the following link: https://rolltide.com/sports/womens-soccer/schedule.
Roll Tide!
