Game Day: Two Decades On

For years after I graduated, every time I was on campus, the first place I headed was Schwarz Gym. Over the course of 20 years, though, fewer and fewer of the familiar faces I went to visit were there anymore. Because I’d lost that strong personal connection with the athletics department, I was a little apprehensive when the Alumnae Association reached out to ask me to do color commentary for the home soccer game during Homecoming weekend.

I haven’t played any soccer at all in well over a decade, and most of the soccer I watch these days is the U.S. Women’s National Team. In the Ted Lasso age, I was a little worried people would be expecting Arlo White-level commentary. Any doubts I had were completely swept away when I walked down to Applebee Field on the most beautiful fall day you can imagine.

From my vantage point on the hillside below Cambrian Row, the campus looked stunning, and plenty of students had shown up to support the teams and grab a popsicle from the truck parked by the field. Bryn Mawr students may have changed over the decades, but there is always a sense of familiarity in a group of Mawrters.

The swampy grass field we had played on in the late ’90s has been replaced by smooth, quick turf, but the soccer team playing on it seemed almost like a slightly updated version of the teams I had played on, bonded by the experience of balancing rigorous academic work with a demanding soccer season. Several off-season athletes were on hand to help out with game-day logistics and cheer on their fellow athletes.

The game was against Gettysburg, a team we always lost to handily in my day. The current squad did an incredible job against the team, though, and my nerves were vanquished by the excitement of the game and the welcoming support of Travis Galaska from the BMC athletics department who was doing the play-by-play. I had a great time chatting with Travis during the game—discussing the action on the field, recounting stories of my own time playing, and having the freedom to critique the officiating without fear.

The Owls scored early and held the lead through the beginning of the second half. The Bullets tied things up early in the second half, then added another on a penalty kick that I personally thought was a terrible call by the ref (I definitely did a lot of ranting to the audience about that call). The Owls pushed hard but were unable to even the score again and ended up with a loss, though the 2-1 score was only the third time the score has been that close over the 27-game history between the teams.

It was clear the Owls had played their hearts out and were proud of their efforts on the day, and, in time, I have no doubt they will become part of a new generation of Mawrters who will instinctively head straight to the gym the minute they get back
on campus.