Houston Dash Inside Look: I'll Be Seeing You!

Tonight is my last night in Houston before returning to Austin to work as Goalkeeper Coach for the Huston-Tillotson University Women’s Soccer team.  It’s the last time this season that I’ll set my alarm, roll out of bed in the morning, and sit in traffic on my way to BBVA (I’m not really going to miss that part—or that one ticket I got for riding solo in the HOV lane so I wouldn't be late).  This season has flown by and it still hasn't quite sunk in that it’s coming to an end.

It feels like yesterday we were getting together for our first preseason meeting—which started, of course, with some pretty serious ping-pong and Ella’s Sunday donuts (which were a test, by the way, and we all failed).  Now, as I pack up my things from the past five months and get ready to tackle college coaching, I’m reminded of all of the amazing moments we’ve shared together—the highs and the lows—and I’m incredibly thankful to be a member of this team.  Words can’t adequately describe the love and gratitude I have for my teammates and the Dash staff.

Several of us have commented on how difficult it will be to go our separate ways after our final match.  Some will stay in Houston during the off-season, some will return to finish college this fall, others will move back home and continue training, and a handful will head to Europe and Australia to catch those seasons.  National team players will go into camp for qualifying and will likely see quite a bit of one another over the next year leading up to the World Cup.  Regardless of where we go and what happens in the off-season, we will always be the inaugural Houston Dash squad.  That will always unite us and I could not have pick a better group of women to have made history with.

We still have two matches remaining to close out the season.  We’re heading to the East Coast to take on Boston on Sunday followed by our make-up match with Sky Blue on Wednesday.  For us, it’s an opportunity to finish the season on a high note.  They are both very good teams and we will do everything in our power to get those last six points.  We refuse to come in last place and we refuse to let being an expansion team dictate our mentality in the final 180 minutes.

Before I go though, I’d like to thank our fans one last time.  Your turnout and support of Haley’s Heroes and Military Appreciation Night, in particular, was overwhelming.  It got me right between the ribbons and the badges (that means "in the heart" for all of you non-Marine types).  The outpouring of positive vibes and your resilience as fans is seriously second to none.  I can’t wait to be back in BBVA with you next year for our first home game.  It already gives me butterflies.

Although it will be close to a year before that time comes, you can probably still count on seeing a few of us out and about during the off season.  We still plan to do work in the community when we can and several of us will probably be coaching.  I personally plan to be back in the Houston area in the late Winter/early Spring and am looking forward to working with more youth goalkeepers in the area.  You know how accessible we are and we pride ourselves on being a part of this community.  Who knows, I might even continue writing for Dynamo Theory!!

To my teammates, I love you.  Every single one of you.  You’ve made starting my 30’s epic beyond belief.  I look forward to more current event conversations with Ella, opinion sharing with Erin, and laughing with Bianca.  I’ll miss you guys but I’ll see you again soon enough.  I hear there’s going to be an awards ceremony and Aly Beck has been nominated for Player of the Year (Who would miss that?!?!).

#DashOn