The Daily O’Collegian

For the Cowgirls, soccer is more than simply a game.

It is a part of their lives.

It is a close-knit community filled with friendly competition and fiery rivalries.

From a young age, the girls sprinted onto the field looking for their teammates and friends. Today, nothing has changed.

Whether it was in high school, a club team or an Olympic Development Program team, the soccer community just seems to know one another.

Coach Colin Carmichael, who helps coach an ODP Region 3 team, has used his club experience as a coach to bring some of the area’s best athletes to OSU.

“I’ve coached a lot of these girls,” Carmichael said. “A lot of them have played together or against each other at one point.”

He said there is always a friendly rivalry with the girls he coached from the ODP team who now go to other schools, but it adds to the fun of the game.

Freshmen Melinda Mercado and Kyndall Treadwell played together for the Edmond Soccer Club ’90 before coming to OSU.

They said they were excited when playing against people from their old team at the Southern Methodist and Texas Christian games.

“It was fun seeing people you know on the other team,” Mercado said. “Luckily we won.”

Mercado and Treadwell mentioned the differences between playing club soccer and playing at OSU.

Most people think that sports increase in intensity once you get to the college level, but for these girls, things actually slowed down.

Most student-athletes at OSU have experienced the pressures that come with playing a Division I sport and being a full-time student.

The time committed for practices, meetings and traveling is just a portion of their busy schedules.

They must also find time to attend class, study, clean their rooms, do laundry, eat, meet with friends and about anything else college students do on a normal day.

The pressures of their busy schedule would come crushing down on most people, but for the Cowgirl team, this lifestyle is nothing new.

From a young age, the girls begin their hectic lifestyle of constantly traveling while doing homework and preparing for a game.

“When I first started playing soccer, I knew I wanted to play in college,” Treadwell said. “I started playing when I was like 8.”

Those who want a real shot at playing collegiate soccer usually join a club team and play on their high school team.

Anyone who has played more than one sport during the same season realizes the game becomes more demanding.

Mercado, a Sapulpa native, and Treadwell, a Cleveland native, used to drive to Edmond for their soccer practices.

“Minnie (Melinda) and I used to carpool like an hour and a half to practice,” Treadwell said. “That’s usually when we did our homework.”

The girls’ schedules consisted of school, driving, practices and games. Soccer was their life.

Treadwell said things actually slowed down when she came to college. She had more time to study and hang out with her friends.

The coaches realize the girls are here to receive an education first and play soccer second, which is why the athletes have access to tutoring, personal advisers and always stay on top of their work if they have to miss class.

Some student-athletes seem to struggle with finding time to relax and take all the pressures off their back.

Senior Yolanda Odenyo said soccer is where she finds her peace. Soccer is her sanctuary.

Treadwell and Mercado mentioned that even though the stress and time isn’t as demanding as club soccer, the competition is fiercer at the college level.

“Soccer was not a big deal at my high school,” Treadwell said. “I was the only one who had played before.

“At this level the players are faster and stronger than even at the club level.”

When the school day was done and soccer practice over, Treadwell summed it up best:

“It is completely worth it,” she said.

Playing collegiate soccer has been a dream of hers since she was a young girl and now she has had the opportunity to play in two games, scoring a goal in both.

The Cowgirls will travel to Tulsa to play Oral Roberts on Friday at 7 p.m.