"Oh, you're that field hockey player, right?"
If you Google my name, the first automated search that comes up is "Erin Matson Field Hockey Player." That's the first thing you see - before probably scrolling through some of the most unflattering pictures of me that are on the internet.
Why is it that some of our least favorite pics are the ones that end up on Google Images?!
Luckily, I accepted a looong time ago that my sweaty, adrenaline-rushed, mouthguard-smiling, probably-out-of-breath self was not my most photogenic - especially when I was in that awkward phase everyone can relate to.
Anyway, it's 2022 people. If you haven't searched yourself by now, I'm not sure what you're doing. It's fascinating! But again, it's only a part of what makes up YOU.
Field hockey has been a part of my life since I was 6 years old. When my parents introduced me to the sport, they surely had no clue what was in store and neither did I. While I myself did not make the decision to pick up a stick that young, I did choose to solely focus on the sport in 5th grade when I knew it’s where my passion was.
I joined the best club in the country, W C Eagles, at 9 years old, made the USA Women's National Indoor Team at 13, and achieved my goal of playing in my first international game with the USA Women's National Field Hockey Team at 17. By that time, I'd played field hockey on 5 different continents and in 11 different countries - if I'm counting them all correctly. And there's been another continent, multiple countries, and plenty more matches since. (Still figuring out how to make playing with the penguins in Antarctica work before my time's up...stay tuned.)
Oh yeah. And in the midst of all that, I committed to play at my dream school, under my dream coach, and be a part of my dream program. This may have been the biggest decision I’ve made in my life so far. I've had the ability to win 3 back-to-back-to-back National Championships and 4 ACC Championships with my teammates, be named 2x National Player of the Year, and be a part of numerous record-breaking experiences - literally. Not to mention the fact that being a student-athlete at Carolina has introduced me to remarkable people who changed my life and who will forever be family.
All of the late nights, early classes, conversations with legends, walks down Franklin, sips from the Old Well, and days where God made the sky the perfect shade of Carolina Blue, make the phrase, “it’s the best four years of your life,” the understatement of the century.
I wouldn't be where I am or who I am if it weren't for field hockey. But if you take one thing away from this post, let it be this: my sport is not all there is about me - it's just given me all of the opportunities, experiences, and lessons I've needed to become a confident, ambitious, passionate, driven, loving, adventurous, young woman.
It has brought me around the globe and showed me ways of life that I never knew existed. It's given me irreplaceable mentors, idols, coaches, and teammates who I aspire to have an impact like someday. It's helped me create once-in-a-lifetime memories, and taught me lessons that I couldn’t have learned anywhere else. I owe so much to what field hockey has given me and how it has shaped me. Because I have been so fortunate, I have a lot to me that you still probably don't know - that you can't find on Google!
So, I'll try my best to organize the topics that I feel deserve to be written down surrounding my sport, my interests, probably some random shower thoughts, and who the hell knows what else. If you care to continue with me, thank you, and I promise it'll be fun and informative! And if you don't, I appreciate you making it this far. Regardless, here's to little doses of inspiration!
"The most important thing you can do is inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do." - Kobe Bryant
Comments