The following is a story told by UCF junior Carrie Lawrence.
I should have known that I would end up at UCF. As much as I thought I wanted something different, it feels like I was destined for it.
I was born in Rockledge, Fla., which is near Cocoa Beach. I started playing soccer when I was three or four. I started playing because my brother played soccer. I never played any other sport. When I was in third grade, going into fourth, we moved to Orlando for my dad's job.
I knew about UCF because I knew my dad's job was near it. Going to meet my dad for lunch, we would always drive by UCF. I was just too young and didn't really know it was a major college then.
My freshman year at Timber Creek High School, I made the varsity team. High school soccer isn't really where you get recruited to play collegiately, though. I was on a really good club team too, at the time. We started going to the big tournaments where colleges go to recruit.
I always wanted to go to a big school out of state. I never thought I would go to UCF because it was so close to my house.
During my sophomore year, things started rolling. Our club team would go to the college ID tournaments and my head coach told me that schools were interested in me. In the middle of my sophomore year of high school, I committed to South Carolina.
When the Sahaydaks arrived at UCF, I was already committed. I really wanted to go out of state. I thought it would be cool to get away from my family.
So I packed my bags and headed to Columbia, S.C.
Looking back now, being out of state really wasn't all that great, and nothing like I had hoped. I like being able to go home for a home-cooked meal every once in a while. You take for granted knowing where things are. I had no idea where anything was in Columbia. The change of seasons was awful for me. I remember my first cold day walking to class and it was just too cold. I wanted to turn back around and get back under my covers.
I didn't have the feeling that I was home.
Even before I was granted my release, I knew I wanted to go back home, to UCF. Orlando is home. Having people that I can turn to all the time is important.
UCF is Orlando's hometown team. 100 percent. I'm proud to call it my home. There's a great vibe to UCF and the people all love it.
They're proud to be a Knight. And so am I.
