Juggling preparations for a teaching career and setting athletic records might seem a difficult combination. And it is, according to 草莓社区 senior (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite), who called her unusual pre-season 鈥渃razy鈥� and 鈥渟tressful.鈥�
But her student-teaching obligations that limited her participation in pre-season practice has in no way delayed the goalie, a four-year member of the Royals鈥� , from entering EMU鈥檚 record books.
In Friday鈥檚 3-1 win over Wesley, she made 11 saves, pushing her career total to 392 and surpassing a 23-year-old mark of 389 held by . For that effort, she was named Royals Athlete of the Week.
Troyer, an , accomplished this despite missing some of the rigorous one-week pre-season practices to attend 鈥淥pening School Experience,鈥� a required orientation for student-teachers at their assigned school site.
鈥淪tudent-teachers participate with their cooperating teacher in setting up the classroom, preparing instructional materials, attending school or division-wide professional development opportunities, going on home visits, and meeting with colleagues,鈥� said education department chair Professor Cathy Smeltzer Erb. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good time for pre-service teachers to learn more about their site and the profession before the students arrive.鈥�
Athletes=good time managers
Like many student-athletes before her, Troyer has juggled teacher education curricular requirements with the demands of being a collegiate athlete.
鈥淚n general, I鈥檝e found that our student-athletes have learned to manage their busy schedules well, and Kelsey is no exception,鈥� said Professor Ron Schultz, coordinator for the PK-6 education program.
He also isn鈥檛 surprised by her athletic success. He says Troyer is motivated to achieve at a high level, but 鈥渉as a fairly laid back approach to life and doesn鈥檛 get too 鈥榳orked up鈥� about anything, a perspective that has clearly served her well both in the goal for the Royals and also in the classroom.鈥�
In the pre-season,聽Troyer did manage to attend one practice each day.聽 worked with her to make sure she was able to attend as much as possible and to reassure her about the missed time.
And when she was able to be there, she felt good about what she saw and experienced with her teammates.
鈥淲e had a lot of good solid practices and team bonding things that I was a part of and they were really good,鈥� she said.
Growth as an athlete
Despite this initial, unique challenge, Kisner says Troyer has shown impressive growth in the position. 鈥淒ue to injuries, she is our only goalkeeper this season. This puts her in a tough position, because she has to come out every day ready to perform.鈥�
Kisner, in her second season at EMU, says she has enjoyed watching this particular player develop her skills. 鈥淚n the past two seasons of working with her, it has been fun to watch her settle into the cage and build confidence to support the defense and make big saves. She continues to improve with every game and we鈥檙e excited to see what the rest of the season holds.鈥�
With an expansion of graduate assistantships in EMU鈥檚 athletics department, Kisner and the field hockey program have benefited from new assistant coach Anna Cooke, a former goalie herself.
This positive change has moved Troyer to a new level and she appreciates both the knowledge Cooke brings to the position and her flexibility in communicating and adapting to individual athletes.
鈥淣ow that the school year鈥檚 started, I鈥檓 definitely actually into it and it just feels like any other year,鈥� she said, of the awkward start to her season 鈥� most likely her final one in a career that spans more than a decade.
Her third-grade teacher was passionate about the sport and ran an after-school club for third through fifth-graders. Troyer watched her older friends get to play and started as soon as she was old enough.
Years later, she says playing field hockey is part of a well-ingrained routine.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what I鈥檇 do without it, like it would be just so boring,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y afternoons would be free! What does that even look like? I just don鈥檛 even know.鈥�
The team has jumped to a 6-1 start, the best for the program in a decade, and share a goal of qualifying for the ODAC tournament. Another goal, Troyer says, is to continue to build a cohesive unit with a relatively new group of players, 鈥渢o have people work together and play together more,鈥� she said.
EMU .
Troyer will begin her student-teaching in the spring, first with third-graders in Harrisonburg and then with fifth-graders in Rockingham County.
But first, it鈥檚 field hockey season.