Aubree Larson and Amanda Lulek are two of the twenty eight that comprise the University of Iowa’s Women’s Soccer Team. This past year these two helped the Hawkeyes finish in the Championships of the BIG10 Tournament and earn a first-ever birth to the NCAA tournament.
What are your majors and years?
Amanda: I’m a sophomore majoring in social work while minoring in human relations.
Aubree: I’m double majoring in industrial engineering and finance. I’m a freshman.
What positions do play?
Amanda: Left back
Aubree: Midfield and forward
How many hours do you spend working on soccer related activities?
Aubree: Well we have practice two hours each day Sunday through Friday, plus lifting three times a week for an hour.
Amanda: We also have rehab. Me for back problems and Aubree tore her ACL in September. So I rehab roughly eight hours a week.
Aubree: I rehab eighteen hours. We also have structured study hours for a minimum of six hours a week.
So healthy players get roughly twenty hours a week and if you’re rehabbing you’re in the soccer facilities upwards of thirty hours.
Aubree: It’s a big commitment. It’s a struggle trying to find time to hang out with people who aren’t on the team or just people in general.
Amanda: I rarely get to hang out with people other than seeing the team at practice or study hours. When free time does come along I end up catching up on sleep or just relaxing.
Aubree: Same. The freshmen end up hanging out in someone’s room watching a movie or talking.
How do you guys stay organized?
Aubree: I’ve always been hyper organized. In high school all my notes were color coordinated and I had all my study times worked out. The skills just transferred to college, but it’s a little harder since there’s so much more to manage.
Amanda: Definitely a lot of planning ahead. At the beginning of the semester I map out my class syllabi to see when homework and tests are. From there I pick days to study for certain classes.
Why did you guys decide to play collegiate soccer?
Amanda: I love to play soccer and I love being a part of a team. I have been on a soccer team my whole life and not having one to go through college with scared me. I wasn’t ready to give up the hours of training, conditioning, and lifting that led to the feeling of winning and success with your closest friends after going through all that hard work. Yeah it’s hard, but I wouldn’t want to spend college any other way.
Aubree: I agree completely. Plus I love competition.
*Photos couresty of hawkeyesports