Meet McKenzie Sauerwein
7/15/2010 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
July 15, 2010
Texas native McKenzie Sauerwein talks about her first experiences at Mizzou in this installment of "Meet the New Tigers":
My first week at Mizzou was extremely crazy, but very exciting. Even the ride in was hectic. The drive from my house to Mizzou takes about ten hours, all of which my mom and I stayed up and took turns driving. The majority of the way it rained. When my mom and I were halfway to campus one of my back tires popped. We had to pull over at a gas station and change the tire. It was just us women, but we managed to change the tire in less than an hour. It surprises me how we actually did it!
When we finally made it to Mizzou, I went to class right away. By then I was pretty tired because I had gone about 24 hours without sleep. I pulled through it though, and we moved into my dorm that day around noon. Thanks to all the help I received from the Mizzou family I did not feel as overwhelmed as I thought I would be. I had to move in, talk to my teachers, and make up work that I had missed. There were so many things for me to get caught up on, but everyone around me was always there to help. My teammates are awesome, and they helped me catch up on information I missed in class.
The team hangs out almost every night, and we have loads of fun. Practice is fun because we all are so competitive. It is definitely way more serious than club, but the older girls make it enjoyable. It is hard work, but all the hard work pays off.
Another exciting thing is all of the Mizzou soccer equipment! It is a thrill to have my own locker space and gear. It is way different from club soccer. There is a lot more to Mizzou soccer than just spending long hours at club practices.
This place becomes your new home for four years or more. The girls become your best friends. It is funny to look back on my official visit and remember how shy we all were. It all changes that first day when your parents drop you off at school; the soccer team becomes your new family. We hardly do anything without one another, and we have a lot of fun together.
