NCAA Woman of the Year
Just wanted to share a little personal news. In today's world of doom and gloom I wished to highlight the fact that there are some awesome young adults ready to take over the world...if we only let them.
Check out the the top 9 athletes and their quotes.
My family is hosting the following finalist which is one of 9 that may be named'THE'NCAA Woman of the Year.
How cool would that be?
Our girl, Kathleen 'KATIE' Taffler is quoted below.
Kathleen Tafler, Grand Valley State University
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Soccer
Excerpt from personal statement:“Through athletics, I gained the clarity to focus on academics and gaining experiences in my community. These experiences have made me into the driven person I am today, and will enable me to achieve my goals now that my time on the field of play has ended.”
Tafler, a two-time Daktronics Division II player of the year, is the GLIAC all-time leader in goals and points. The three-time conference offensive player of the year is the only player in league history to record at least 40 goals and 40 assists. The Daktronics and National Soccer Coaches Association of America first-team all-American ranks third in NCAA history in goals (114) and points (269).
A 2008 NCAA Today’s Top VIII Award recipient and the 2008 ESPN the Magazine College Division Academic All-American of the Year, Tafler was a two-time NSCAA Scholar-Athlete all-America pick. She also was a two-time recipient of the GLIAC Commissioner’s Award for Academic and Athletic Excellence and made the Dean’s List from 2005-09. Tafler, a biomedical sciences major, graduated in the spring.
Tafler was a child life volunteer at Helen Devos Children’s Hospital, a patient transport volunteer with St. Mary’s Health Care and an emergency room volunteer at Trillium Health Care. She participated on the campus Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and assisted with the Michigan Science Olympiad as an event helper and competition judge.
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The event is live this weekend in Indianapolis, location of the NCAA national headquarters and the NCAA Hall of Champions.
I'm fortunate to share a table at the awards dinner and view in person the naming of the best combination of Athletics, Academics and Volunteerism representing this fine nation of ours. What is more important is that I get to share this experience with my two daughters, Kirsten and Jessica, both HS soccer players with good grades.
Eventually this event will be turned into a 30 minute ESPN or ESPN2 broadcast, when it airs is unknown at this time.
When/If you get to Indianapolis be sure to visit the NCAA Hall of Champions as well as other great sites to see. We are currently in preparation for the 2012 SuperBowl that will hopefully have our home team 'Colts' as a participant.
Need a place to stay, let me know...I always have a home or apartment vacancy available. :)
Cheers,
Derek Crager