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Rachel is one of the rare student-athletes today, three sports in high school and now plays two sports in college while pursuing a degree in nursing. She lettered in basketball(2 yrs 0, track (3yrs) and soccer (4yrs); she won WMass titles in track, javelin and as a member of the 4x100 relay team. Rachel is now excelling in soccer at Holyoke Community College (HCC), leading the team in scoring in 2005 from her attacking center midfielder (ACM) position, 12 goals and 7 assists for 31 points. She was named to the All New England team, and nominated for All- American. Her team lost in the New England regional finals to Springfield Technical Community College
which went on to win the National title for Division III NJCAA schools. Her coach, Rob Galazka, describes Rachel as the premier type player, speed, skills, great attitude, total team player, and very humble about her performance and achievements. She has increased her scoring in 2006, setting four records at HCC: 1. single season points: 17 goals, 19 assists for 53 points (2006) 2. All time points: 29 goals, 26 assists for 84 points, (previous record was 62 pts) 3. Most assists in a season (19) and in a career (26). For her efforts in 2006 she was named the NJCAA Div III Women’s soccer player of the week. A national award for a local player; she finished 12th in scoring (nationally) and HCC won the New England regional title for the first time ever. Her career ended when Oxford Community College from Georgia defeated HCC 2-0 in the National tournament. Rachel credits her success to her parents and their motto: “Do the best you can, we care about you no matter what”. Their unconditional support went beyond words, as they traveled to many games in her career at HCC. For all those young soccer enthusiasts she recommends her favorite skill exercise: two players, one tosses the ball underhand to the 2nd player – who volleys (kicks) the ball out of the air back to their teammate, the player tossing the ball varies the height and angles of the tosses. The player kicking the ball uses the instep (laces area of their cleat), the inside of the foot and the outside of the foot and sometimes juggles the ball a few times before passing back. Rachel says, “It’s a great way to get ready…” Rachel’s other favorites include: dark green, #7, any song by Shania Twain, cheese pizza and most kinds of ice cream. No time for this scholar athlete to rest, as she catches up on her studies, basketball practice has already started and she hopes to play one more season of college sports. A long career in soccer that started with local youth clinics, Pioneer Valley, Maple league teams, a few UMass camps, GHS Varsity and that now is complete with a record setting year at HCC. Congratulations Rachel on all your accomplishments. |
