Post by PutMeInCoach2 on Dec 13, 2006 14:00:28 GMT -6
from the houma courier.
During her dominant senior year, former Central Lafourche soccer star Leeza Iver heard the same question the morning after each game.
How many goals did you score last night?
Iver rarely, if ever, said zero.
She scored 46 goals as a senior, earning a scholarship to play at LSU.
Since arriving in Baton Rouge in the fall of 2005, Iver hasn’t heard the question she once answered so often. In its place is a new question. One Iver isn’t so quick to answer.
"When I go back home, people ask me, ëDid you score yet?’" Iver said. "And I tell them, ëNo.’"
Iver’s 28-match college drought can be attributed to many things: a position change from shoot-first forward to pass-first midfielder, injuries and a lack of playing time.
Iver (5-foot-4) played in 10 of LSU’s 20 matches this past season as a sophomore, recording two assists and two shots on goal for the Lady Tigers (9-8-3 overall), who failed to reach either the NCAA or SEC Tournament. As a freshman, she played in 18 matches (13 starts) and finished with one assist.
"(In 2005), I started in just about every game, except at the beginning of the year," Iver said. "This year we had a lot of new freshmen come in. They were just really good.
"It was a big change from playing all the time to not really playing as much. I accepted it. I still like being on the team, whether I play or not."
Iver finished the year on the bench, as she dealt with tonsillitis and a colon ailment. Due to her health problems, Iver hasn’t practiced since LSU’s season wrapped Oct. 27.
"I have to get in shape and work hard during the offseason," Iver said. "If I do that, I’ll get more playing time next season."
Shortly after starting her freshman year, Iver had more to worry about than playing time, such as helping Hurricane Katrina evacuees.
"Whenever we went in the fieldhouse and the (Pete Maravich Assembly Center), we volunteered to help the people," she said. "We were punching IV bags and feeding people. It was crazy."
While she was able to find time for others, Iver said it was sometimes a struggle to find time for herself.
"It was kind of a hard adjustment," she said of developing time management skills.
Iver, who is currently majoring in kinesiology, added she is doing well in school, but isn’t sure what she wants to do after graduation.
"I kind of want to stay with sports," she said. "There’s a little part of me that wants to coach. I’m really undecided what I want to be at this point."
For now, she is set on enjoying her time as a college soccer player.
"It’s so much fun being a college athlete because you get to travel places and experience things most of your classmates don’t get to," Iver said. "It’s just a good experience."
And it will be an even better one, when she can tell her family and friends about her first goal.
During her dominant senior year, former Central Lafourche soccer star Leeza Iver heard the same question the morning after each game.
How many goals did you score last night?
Iver rarely, if ever, said zero.
She scored 46 goals as a senior, earning a scholarship to play at LSU.
Since arriving in Baton Rouge in the fall of 2005, Iver hasn’t heard the question she once answered so often. In its place is a new question. One Iver isn’t so quick to answer.
"When I go back home, people ask me, ëDid you score yet?’" Iver said. "And I tell them, ëNo.’"
Iver’s 28-match college drought can be attributed to many things: a position change from shoot-first forward to pass-first midfielder, injuries and a lack of playing time.
Iver (5-foot-4) played in 10 of LSU’s 20 matches this past season as a sophomore, recording two assists and two shots on goal for the Lady Tigers (9-8-3 overall), who failed to reach either the NCAA or SEC Tournament. As a freshman, she played in 18 matches (13 starts) and finished with one assist.
"(In 2005), I started in just about every game, except at the beginning of the year," Iver said. "This year we had a lot of new freshmen come in. They were just really good.
"It was a big change from playing all the time to not really playing as much. I accepted it. I still like being on the team, whether I play or not."
Iver finished the year on the bench, as she dealt with tonsillitis and a colon ailment. Due to her health problems, Iver hasn’t practiced since LSU’s season wrapped Oct. 27.
"I have to get in shape and work hard during the offseason," Iver said. "If I do that, I’ll get more playing time next season."
Shortly after starting her freshman year, Iver had more to worry about than playing time, such as helping Hurricane Katrina evacuees.
"Whenever we went in the fieldhouse and the (Pete Maravich Assembly Center), we volunteered to help the people," she said. "We were punching IV bags and feeding people. It was crazy."
While she was able to find time for others, Iver said it was sometimes a struggle to find time for herself.
"It was kind of a hard adjustment," she said of developing time management skills.
Iver, who is currently majoring in kinesiology, added she is doing well in school, but isn’t sure what she wants to do after graduation.
"I kind of want to stay with sports," she said. "There’s a little part of me that wants to coach. I’m really undecided what I want to be at this point."
For now, she is set on enjoying her time as a college soccer player.
"It’s so much fun being a college athlete because you get to travel places and experience things most of your classmates don’t get to," Iver said. "It’s just a good experience."
And it will be an even better one, when she can tell her family and friends about her first goal.