Kathy Logan (kalogan@ursinus.edu)
The fall semester is nearing its end as students will soon be diving head first into a much needed Thanksgiving break. The end of the sports season doesn’t hit anyone harder than a senior athlete. Although some senior fall athletes receive an opportunity to play time in the spring, all their major, memorable moments happen in the fall.
Skylar Knapp, a senior and soccer player, has been on field for 17 years as the forward. The forward position, also known as the primary attacker, plays closest to the opponent’s goal. The responsibility demands speed and stamina from its player, which Knapp is more than capable of. She communicates that her favorite part “about playing
this fall was simply playing one last season of the sport I love with teammates I would consider family. Every game, I left everything on the field knowing that it was soon coming to an end.” Her least favorite encounter this fall was when she and her teammates put in so much work only to not receive the results they had hoped. “There is always room for growth and I cannot wait to watch UCWS continue to build themselves up within the next few seasons. These girls are capable of doing big things,” Knapp added.
Although she didn’t get the wins she wanted, she experienced some highs and lows that she will never forget. Winning against Muhlenberg College in the Centennial Conference was a notable success, despite the abundance of injuries that plagued the team. But they managed to bounce back even stronger toward the end of the season. Another player, Zoe Moosbrugger, said “in my eyes, our team tends to have a lot more injuries than most. Some injuries are playable but others aren’t.”
Moosbrugger and Knapp will miss the lifestyle soccer has created for them. “Soccer has kept me fit. I will miss seeing these girls and miss the strong bond I created with them over these four years,” Knapp stated. She added that she “enjoyed playing for something bigger than myself. But most of all, I’m disappointed that I can no longer physically help the team and program grow.” However, Knapp is excited to see what the team does next and Ursinus could not agree more.
On behalf of The Grizzly staff, we would like to wish the graduating senior soccer players the beary best in all their future endeavors. You will be missed.