|
|
|
|
About SCC Breakers |
 |
February 2008 - The SCC Breakers caught up with former Breakers Caitlin Meadows over the Christmas break and set up the following interview. Meadows was recruited along with 11 other standout players throughout the United States to play for the Division I Long Island University Blackbirds in New York. A former Breaker standout and San Lorenzo Valley High School County Player of the Year, Meadows talked to us about moving across the country for school, soccer, and her love of good Mexican food. SCC BREAKERS: Caitlin great catching up with you over the holiday break. What are your overall thoughts thought regarding the jump from SCC Breakers club soccer to Division I College soccer?
SCC BREAKERS: Having lived in California your whole life, what was your biggest adjustment moving back to New York? What do you like best about New York? What do you miss most about Santa Cruz County? Meadows: The biggest adjustment from California to New York would have to be the weather. I had never played in 20 degree weather or snow, or ice. All my professors think I am crazy because I still wear flip-flops (even today and it snowed!). What I miss the most is pretty easy. Mexican Food! I miss Mexican food SO much! It just is not the same here. I also would say I miss trees (laugh), no trees really in NYC. What I also miss about Santa Cruz County would have to be the people and just the feel of Santa Cruz. It's so laid back and fun whereas in NYC if you don't sprint the second the walk sign says GO you're toast! But I love NYC, I am starting to call it home now which is pretty fun. My favorite part about NYC would have to be just how there is always something to do and see, there is never a dull moment. SCC BREAKERS: Are there any other California players on your team? If so, who are they and what clubs did they come from? Meadows: Yes there are two other girls from California on my team. One is a sophomore, Tasia Davis from San Francisco. She played for MVLA. The other is Amy Paige (a senior) from San Jose and she played for the De Anza Force. I believe that next year there are going to be two new California girls as well, both from Sacramento though. SCC BREAKERS: Who were some of the biggest influences in your soccer development and why? Meadows: I would have to say that some of my biggest influences in my soccer development would have to be all of my coaches that I have had over the years. Each one has taught me something not only about the game but myself. And obviously a big influence was my parents. I definitely would not have been able to be where I am today with soccer, they just always pushed me and gave me confidence in everything I chose to do. SCC BREAKERS: What helped you the most in your development with the Breakers Club in preparing for college soccer? Meadows: I think the exposure that the Breakers Club gave me with the higher caliber tournaments really helped preparing for college soccer. I played for Paolo Carbone the few years that I played in the Breakers Club and he was also always willing to contact coaches for me and help me with my player’s profile. SCC BREAKERS: Describe a typical week for you during the season between, school, training and games? Meadows: Practice T, W, TH, Sat. Games Friday and Sunday and we would have Monday off. Most practices were around 1pm-3:30/4:00pm. During the week we're really busy with classes and training so our school has mandatory study hall twice a week-you have to put in so many hours based off of your GPA. You definitely learn VERY fast what your priorities are and how to organize everything in your life. SCC BREAKERS: Did you feel you were physically and mentally prepared for Division I Soccer? Meadows: Well probably around mid-May last year we received our "Summer Training Packets"- oh joy. So we were given a workout schedule to follow throughout the summer so we didn’t come in totally out of shape. So entering into Division I soccer I was in good shape...but physically...definitely the smallest on my team. I came in the third lightest on the team-but one of the tallest. My coaches goal for me was to gain some muscle so I wouldn't get knocked around. I think that I came in very well prepared mentally, I wasn't expecting to be playing much as a freshman on a mostly veteran team, but I came in ready to work my butt off and that helped a lot. SCC BREAKERS: How would you evaluate the coaching? And please, don't get yourself in trouble answering this question. Meadows: Laugh! I love my coaches honestly. I am so happy with my decision. I know every school is different but at LIU it is a very close and personal relationship with the coaches which makes it so much more enjoyable. I have never learned so much about soccer until this year. The coaching has been great. They really help you and WANT you to get what they are showing you, and get out and do it with you. SCC BREAKERS: What type of self-evaluation would you give yourself after your first season? Meadows: I would say that I have improved tactically and physically the most. We played some very BIG teams with girls over 6'2" tall and I would be marking them and your coaches won’t accept that because you're shorter, you can’t hold them off and go up against them. So I would say physically I have stepped it up. Also tactically, just playing smarter and having better field vision and decisions I have improved greatly I think as well. SCC BREAKERS: What would you recommend to a U12 or U13 Breakers player who has a desire to play at the level you are currently playing at? Meadows: If you even have the slightest desire to play college soccer go for it. I have heard from a lot of younger players who say "Well I would play, but I wouldn't be able to at college it's too difficult". That is completely false. There is someplace for any type of player. The best thing to do is just start contacting coaches. NCAA rules prohibit schools from directly contacting you before a certain year in high school BUT if you send and email just introducing yourself and expressing you interest in playing they will put you on file and keep your contact information until they can talk to you. Also don't just contact schools you're interested in, contact a wide variety of schools, you never know where you may end up. SCC BREAKERS: What are your plans for the summer? Meadows: So far it will be working out and training with my favorite "Summer Workout Packet" given to us by our coaches and I will most likely train with the Breakers U-18 Girls. I am also looking for a women's league to play in to keep up with my game speed and such. But I will be back in Santa Cruz for the summer much to my mom's delight (Laugh). SCC BREAKERS: And last question, (and we won't tell Mom and Dad), do you ever get a chance to go enjoy New York City? Meadows: During season it was hard to get away and do stuff because when we weren't playing soccer and lifting and all the fun stuff we get to do, all we would want to do is homework and sleep. Now though that we have weekends off and are just training week days we do get the chances to go out and enjoy the city. Sometimes as well, some of my classes will require us to go to different parts of the city, so when those assignments come up we get to go out then too. SCC BREAKERS: Thanks Caitlin. See you this summer. |
|
|
©2008 Santa Cruz County Breakers - All Rights Reserved |
|||
INTERVIEW WITH FORMER BREAKER STANDOUT CAITLIN MEADOWS OF LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY
Meadows: I think that I was able to handle the jump fairly well from the Breakers to college soccer. While playing for the Breakers I always competed in high caliber tournaments against some of the top ranked teams in the nation. I think that giving players that experience really helped me in moving up to the next level. Obviously though there are some things you can't easily prepare for such as the physicality of the game and the speed of play.
