Averi Faulkner and her mom
Her mother and sister played college soccer and her younger brother now plays soccer at Centre College. So it is now surprise that Averi Faulk says soccer is why she came to Centre College.
“I always knew I wanted to play college soccer,” Faulk, a senior, said.
Yet she readily admits she didn’t “put much effort” into her recruitment while she was playing for South Oldham High School. Centre College assistant coach Jessica Chisley saw her play and invited her to check out Centre. Some friends were going to visit Centre, so she decided to visit also.
She looked at other schools but decided why not stay closer to home so her mother could see her play.
“She comes to all my games, even in Mississippi,” Faulk said.
But not this season because there are no games due to COVID-19. Faulk believes not having a senior season might be harder on her mother than it has been on her.
“My heart was broke when the season got cancelled but I did not start crying until I looked at my mom,” Faulk said. “She is really sad when she talks to me even now.”
There is one silver lining to no senior season for Faulk’s mother.
“Last year she started taking videos and more pictures than usual,” the Centre senior said. “She joked I only had a year left to play soccer and she was trying to prepare for it but now she is so happy she took videos and photos.”
Faulk figured to have a banner senior season. The Colonels have played 66 matches in her three years, and she’s started 65 of them. Her midfield play has been a vital part of Centre’s terrific defense those three seasons.
She started playing soccer at age 3 and has never gone this long without playing or practicing soccer.
“Growing up soccer was always year round,” she said. “Even at Centre we had a spring season. I was abroad (studying) before everyone got sent home (from campus due to COVID-19) and I have not played competitively since the NCAA in November. I really miss it.
“When we lost in the NCAA last year the seniors told us, ‘At least you have next year to come back from this.’ Now we don’t. But I am happy to know I have this team with me with or without soccer. Even without playing we all stay connected.”
She knows no soccer has been hard on the incoming freshmen who are also having to deal with COVID-19 college lift along with no sports.
“That transition to college is not easy. Usually the soccer team is here two weeks before anyone else and we all get close and try to make them feel like part of the family,” Faulk said. “We all missed that this year. Our incoming freshmen are so talented and I think we could have done so well this year.”
She knows coach Jay Hoffman is trying to schedule some spring games if athletic competition is allowed but there will be no NCAA Tournament or individual honors. Faulk was all-region and all-conference all three previous years.
Academics have been way different, too, with more Zoom classes. She understands professors are as frustrated as students.
“It’s not ideal but I do appreciate the work Centre has put in to make things as normal as it can,” Faulk said.
She says students are helping keep each other accountable for staying safe.
“No one wants to be the one responsible for a COVID outbreak on campus. We are all trying to be careful and wearing our masks,” she said. “Even if life is different, we all want to stay here and at least have some fun with friends and not get sent home.”
Faulk didn’t even mind “confinement/quarantine recess.” Resident hall students were given a scheduled time to go outside under the supervision of a resident advisor until everyone had results from COVID-19 tests back.
“We joked it was recess time and we got to go outside to play,” Faulk said. “We were with the same people every day and even then had to stay spread out just to go out and stretch our legs before we all got released.”
Faulk’s long-term goal is to be a physician assistant. She originally wanted to go to med school but now has picked a different path.
“But it is also very competitive to get into PA school,” she said. “I didn’t want to be a doctor but I still wanted to help people and can do that and have more flexibility with my life than I would have as a doctor. In general I think the PA spends more time talking with patients and I think I will like that a lot more.”
