Horns and Wheels up: On the road with Texas Soccer
Nov. 2, 2012
Former Bowie High School teammates, Austin natives and current Longhorns sophomore Allison Smith and freshman Sydney Shutter talked Thursday about returning to Blossom Soccer Stadium in San Antonio and their last two days. Smith: We both played here [at Blossom Soccer Stadium] during our high school careers and I was here last year for the Big 12 Championship. Shutter: I would say my favorite memory here was beating Westlake. We lost to them two times during the regular season. Smith: They were our biggest rival. Shutter: Yes. Then we had our championship game for regionals here and we ended up beating them. That was a pretty cool feeling. It was 2010. I was a sophomore and Allison was a junior. [That year, Bowie went 26-3-2 and took third at the University Interscholastic League State Championship during the program's first-ever final four appearance.] Smith: That was nothing like yesterday, though [when Texas defeated Oklahoma 3-0 in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals]. The energy was similar because it's a championship-type setting where if you win you advance. But at the college level it's so much more. At the high school level, yes it's important, but it's basically for fun. Now it's strictly business. Shutter: Yesterday was a little nerve-racking because we were playing for so much, but I had fun and really enjoyed it. Smith: I'm on the field and she [Shutter] comes in and it reminds me a lot of our high school days when we would combine and have a lot of success together. It always makes me think we can do those same things again. That's a lot of fun. Shutter: It's nice to be close to home and know there are people close by who can come watch.
Smith: Yes, our "La-Cha-Pale" fans [supporting San Antonio native, the Longhorns and teammate Sharis Lachappelle] came Wednesday afternoon and that's awesome. And being so close, the travel doesn't impact us nearly as much. -Shutter: Our hotel [Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa] is definitely really nice. I want to explore it because it's so big, but I haven't had enough time to yet. Smith: Yesterday we were looking to find the pool to take an ice bath. We were walking out and saw a pool here, then a pool there and then another pool there. There were about four different pools, a beach and all this fancy stuff. It's great. Thursday after practice, we went to see a movie. We had the choice to go see either Argo or Taken 2. Shutter: Then we headed back to the hotel, had our meeting to get ready for Friday and relax. Smith: We want to keep this team together as long as we possibly can. I don't want to lose this team. I cannot even picture being without these seniors. Senior Night was weird having to imagine what it would be like. We're definitely doing it for them and each other. |
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