October Student Athlete of the Month: Kelly Worden
Story Links
Oct. 10, 2001
CHARLOTTESVILLE – Student Athlete-of-the-Month showcases an athlete who has demonstrated excellence both on the playing field and in the classroom. The October Student Athlete-of-the-Month, third year Kelly Worden, has displayed a strong work ethic in her academic and athletic endeavors. From Spring, Texas, right outside Houston, Kelly is in the Curry School of Education. In 2000, she was selected as an All-ACC Defender. Kelly loves her team and spends a lot of her time outside of soccer with her teammates as well.
Q: When did you start playing soccer?
A: I started playing when I was five. My older brother and my youngerbrother were both into it, so my Dad was their coach and he got me into itas well.
Q: Who was influential in developing your game?
A: My parents! Also though, back in Houston at the Challege Club, I’ve hadthe same coach since I was eleven, Tom Dean, and then my trainersSmitty and Pat. They were with me from when I was little until I came here.
Q: What do you like to do outside of soccer?
A: Oh gosh! Try to do my school work! We as team always try to get togetherand do stuff like go tubing on the James River. It’s always a lot of fun!Whenever we have a day off we always try to do something outside of soccer.
Q: What is the best part about being on this team?
A: Our team chemistry. We do everything together. If you see one of us,there’s probably ten behind ’em coming up they way. It amazing. We’realways over each other’s houses and we all live so close…It’s like awhole family here!
Q: Do you feel pretty good about the team’s chances this year?
A: Yeah! We just beat Maryland for our fourth win in a row, so we hope tokeep that up.
Q: Outside of soccer, what is your favorite thing about UVA?
A: Being from Houston, I don’t get the season changes, so I love fall andspring here with the leave changes because we don’t get that down there.Down there we only have hot and hotter! I think it’s beautiful, thecampus is so pretty, and then our team, on top of that, is just amazing.They’re the best group of friends, it’s a lot of fun.
Q: Do you have a favorite soccer memory from UVA?
A: Last year we were in the NCAA third round playing UNC, and we werewinning 1-0 with twenty minutes to go, and then they came back and beatus 2-1, but we were up on UNC, who ended up winning the whole thing, fora moment there and we were so excited. We played amazing! It was the bestwe played all season!
Q: What are the team goals for this season?
A: We are looking to go all the way to the Final Four in Dallas. That’s ourmain goal.I think that we have the talent. I think that we can really doit, and coaching staff is really backing us. I’m so excited because ifwe make it it’ll be like going home! My parents can go!