If you have lived in the United States of America over the course of the past week, you know that it was virtually impossible to ignore the sensation that is Carli Lloyd. After scoring three goals in the first fifteen minutes of the Women's World Cup Championship game, she sparked both country-wide hysteria and the belief that our beloved women's team may indeed take care of unfinished business with the Japanese from four years ago. After losing to the women of Japan in the 2011 World Cup Championship in penalty kicks, America knew that our team would not be going down easy in 2015. After all, it is the year of firsts: the first rematch championship game in the history of FIFA World Cups, and the first time ever that as many as seven goals have been scored in a Championship match. With a hat trick in the early minutes of the game and a crowd of Americans cheering her on, Lloyd led the United States to a well-deserved World Cup Championship title, the first time in history that any women's team has ever won three times.
It's no secret that Carli is an all-star, she certainly proved herself and her skills over the past three World Cups that she has competed in. But most people who watched her dominate the field were unaware of her background. Carli attended Rutgers University from 2001-2004, and was a knockout star for the women's soccer team. No surprise there. She was named First-Team All-Big East for four straight years, making her the first ever Rutgers University athlete to achieve such recognition. She is the university's all-time goal scoring leader, she was given Big East Rookie of the Year honors, and she was named 2004 Big East Midfielder of the Year. Not to mention, she is a member of the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni.
Going even farther back into her past, Carli is a South Jersey native, growing up and beginning her long soccer career in Delran, NJ. She was named Girl's High School Player of the Year by the Philadelphia Inquirer, along with her Player of the Year and Midfielder of the Year honors awarded to her by the Courier Post. Seriously, the girl can do no wrong.
Looking back on last week and the tremendous success that Carli brought to our great country, I feel a strange sense of pride watching her dominate on all aspects of the soccer field. Great players do not simply happen. They work hard, they dream big, and they capitalize on every mere opportunity that is placed in front of them. They often fail, but the most admirable characteristic of their personalities is that they never let failure hinder their desire for success. No one gets to be as great and successful as Carli is without hardships, blood, sweat, and many, many tears. To see her shine in what she loves to do the most, play soccer and represent her country, gives me hope for the little girls who wish to be as big and as great as she is. It gives me hope for New Jersey kids and Rutgers students, who can put themselves on the map and make themselves known with perseverance and immense amounts of dedication. It gives me hope for myself, for with hard work and a work ethic like Carli's, I can make my dreams come true. Carli Lloyd has opened doors for both local people and those who live all over the united States, proving that nothing is out of reach.
Watch out Mr. Trump, Carli Lloyd for President has a nice ring to it.
