Moriarty heads to the big city

Moriarty prepares for college soccer after four years at North

by felix ruediger

 
 Having played soccer since the age of five, the hard work and practice finally paid off for senior Bridget Moriarty when at the beginning of this school year, one of her biggest dreams came true and she got offered a full 4-year scholarship to Wagner College in New York City worth $120,000 dollars.

 “Soccer taught me a lot of things,” Moriarty said. “You have to be dedicated and just work hard towards a goal.”

 Moriarty plays for the local soccer club JB Marine. A scout from Wagner College contacted her after her coach told the scout about Moriarty’s strength.

 “The coach contacted him and told him that I wanted to go to the East Coast,” Moriarty who always wanted to play college soccer, said. “I went there [New York City] the beginning of this school year. Then he came down here to see me play.”

 After a long time of waiting and hoping, Moriarty finally found out that she got accepted. She will start practice in New York in August. After playing soccer at North for three years, she tried out for the track team but finally decided to join the soccer team during her final year at FHN. Being an important part of the team and with her leadership qualities as a senior, the team was happy to have her play for North this year.

 “I like how Bridget is willing to compromise her fitness regiment and still makes time for the team,” senior Katie Gallagher who plays goalie for FHN, said. “Because we really need her.”

 Moriarty will have to face a major change when playing soccer for Wagner College. High school and college soccer are different in many aspects of the game, but Moriarty has been preparing and practicing for a long time.

 “The game is so much faster at the college level,” Assistant girl’s soccer coach Vince Nowak said. “It is so much more physical than high school. Sometimes players are shocked.”

 Moriarty doesn’t want to be a professional player. She plans on going to law school after undergraduate college. For now, she is confident and excited for the big city with all its struggles, hopes, dreams and possibilities.

 “I just expect to meet a lot of new people that I wouldn’t have met in the Midwest, new ideas, to be less narrow minded,” Moriarty said. “In college you are supposed to find yourself and figure out what you believe in.”