BLOG 6: Soccer Feature On Carlee Boyle

By Sandy Gholston

BIG RAPIDS – Carlee Boyle has come a long way – literally and figuratively – to where she stands today as a member of Ferris State University’s women’s soccer team.

Boyle, the 5-foot-3 native of Lockport, Ill., is looking forward to the rest of this 2008 soccer season – perhaps even more than she looked forward to her freshman year. Beyond the fact that she came to Ferris from Illinois, Boyle has come a long ways in understanding the college game and what it takes to build team chemistry that will lead to success.

“It’s so much different on our team this year than it was last season,” said Boyle, who plays forward for the Bulldogs. “We have 13 new players and we have 12 returning players and we’re all getting along really well, we’re working well together and we’re definitely excited about the things we could be able to do this season if we continue working hard and getting better.”

A four-year letter winner at Lockport Township High School, Boyle has come to live and breathe the sport of soccer. Boyle’s love for the sport, combined with the promise of this year’s rebuilt squad, has her feeling as enthusiastic as ever. Last fall, as a rookie, Boyle saw game action and finished with an assist against Madonna (Sept. 25), in a non-conference competition.

This year, even with a number of strong new players joining the program, Boyle has enjoyed the competition and the fight to play in head coach Neathan Gibson’s increasingly-competitive and revamped lineup.

“We have such a strong team and I think we’ve adjusted well to Neathan’s style of coaching and the way he pushes us and I think it is making us better as a team,” Boyle said. “He has done a great job bringing us all together and not emphasizing that some people are newcomers and some people are (veterans) or that some are seniors and some are freshmen. We don’t look at it like there’s a difference in ages or anything like that. … We look at it like we’re all in it together and we’re all working together for the same goals.”

One of Ferris’ goals is to prove the coaches of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference dead wrong. In the 2008 preseason poll, the Bulldogs were picked to finish seventh with 19 points (ahead of only eighth-place Northwood with seven points).

Grand Valley State was picked first in the coaches’ poll with 49 points and seven of eight first-place votes. Saginaw Valley State was picked seventh with 37 points, Northern Michigan was tied for third with 30 points and one first-place vote, Tiffin was tied for third with 30 points, Findlay was fifth with 29 points and Ashland was sixth with 22 points.

If you have any questions, ideas or comments feel free to contact Sandy Gholston at sgholston2@netzero.com