Katherine Carmack is a senior at Woodhaven High School who has played soccer since her sophomore year. Katie brings strategic plays and leadership to her team and has decided to go to Central Michigan University. Balancing the intensity of a varsity sport with her academic endeavors like AP courses, she is a great example of a student-athlete.
What inspired you to start playing soccer when you did?
My inspiration for soccer was my friends in 10th grade, although at first I intended to do another sport, I decided to join soccer to give it a try.
Was it hard to balance your academic life with your soccer life?
No, since the practices where later I had time to do homework before and after keeping up my grades while also staying on the team.
What position do you play and why do you play it?
I play wing, either side, because I can be both defense while also playing offense.
How are your bonds with your teammates and coaches?
With most of the people on the team I am pretty close with as I met them because of soccer and still would talk to them even outside the seasons. While with the coaches we get along well and tend to talk much of the season as they have helped me grow.
What is your academic plan for after high school?
My academic plan is to attend Central University to pursue a degree in Architecture.
How do you prepare mentally and physically for your games?
To prepare I always forget any outside problems and just focus on what the game will hold and physically I stretch well enough and build my stamina to be able to play the whole game.
Have you ever felt discouraged from playing soccer?
Yes in the past I had teammates push me down or discourage me but now I have built a relationship with them and now we build each other up.
How did you prepare for your AP exams while playing soccer, what one did you prioritize more?
I prepare for my exams by studying not only out of school but also in school so I can focus and do well on my exams, especially for AP psychology. I prioritize academics more.
What has been your biggest challenge in soccer and how have you overcome it?
My biggest challenge has been injuries as it is very easy to get injured and when getting injured it slows my ability to move forward in soccer and get better as it holds me back.
Are you planning on doing anything with soccer after high school?
No, I enjoyed my high school years playing soccer so not playing later will not bother me.
What advice would you give to younger Woodhaven soccer athletes aspiring to play varsity soccer?
The advice I would give is to build relationships with those on your team as those relationships will help your team become stronger and also not decrease yourself for one bad mistake.
