Posted by Jose Larios - Thu, Oct 18, 2007 - [Women's Soccer] - Viewed 247 times
By Tyler Norris-Goode, Asheville CITIZENS-TIMES
Sometimes during Montreat women’s soccer games, Amanda Solesbee will spend so much time looking for a good passing lane near an opponent’s net that her coach and teammates ask her why she won’t take the shot herself.
They have a legitimate point considering that Solesbee holds the program’s career scoring record (48 goals entering today’s 2 p.m. home contest against Union College), but the senior from Hickory said she gets just as much satisfaction from setting up her teammates as she does from blasting a shot into the net herself.
“One time I passed it to Heather Hable for a goal, and I’ll never forget how excited she was when she said, ‘Thanks so much for giving me a chance,’” said Solesbee. “I like seeing other people feeling good and watching them celebrate scoring a goal, too.”
That unselfish spirit landed her a spot in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd” page this week in recognition of her six-assist game against Toccoa Falls in August. With her 26th career assist on Saturday, she became the school’s all-time leader in that category as well.
Her desire to help others extends beyond the soccer field. While doing her student teaching at Old Fort Elementary last semester, Solesbee was drawn to kids who were struggling to get by in class.
“I was always behind in school,” recalled Solesbee. “I know how it feels. I graduated on time, but I was two grades behind in my reading level. When I was in the fourth grade, I was reading at a second-grade level.
“The main thing I would see when I was student teaching was when kids would get their papers back with a ‘C’ or ‘D’ in big red letters. Their heads would drop because they knew their parents would be upset. It was like they almost would give up. They failed the paper, but they took it as failing at life. It stinks to feel like the dumbest kid in class, so my main thing was helping them realize they’re not dumb.”
So Solesbee helped oversee an after-school program designed to help underprivileged, below-average students. She and other volunteers took the children through a physical activity, tutoring and a crafts project every day of the week.
During her college career, she’s also helped with Habitat for Humanity and served as an adult girl scout.
Her long-term goal is to be able to help special-needs students, either in an elementary or special education setting. She’s scheduled to receive her bachelor’s degree in education with a focus on special education at the end of this semester.
“I have a passion for kids,” she said. “I want to let them know they do have talent.”
Before she begins that part of her life in earnest, Solesbee is hoping to close out her soccer career on a strong note. This year’s squad is 9-4-1 overall and 3-3 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference, already making it the most successful campaign of Solesbee’s four years at Montreat.
Coach Dan Woerner said Solesbee has had a lot to do with that.
“She knows her role, and she’s good about getting other players involved,” said Woerner, who is in his third year at Montreat. “She looks to score, and she also looks to see who might be in a better scoring position. When it’s game time, you know she’s going to be ready and that she’ll do all she can to help our team.”
Solesbee said her own and the team’s records aren’t the only reasons she considers this her best year at Montreat.
“My records wouldn’t happen without the team,” said Solesbee, whose six-goal feat was a single-game record for Montreat. “It’s not just fun winning. The style of soccer we play is beautiful to watch. Obviously, we’re finishing well, and we’re doing a better job of setting up plays. It’s just been a lot of fun.”
