Off The Field With Kerry O'Malley

June 2006

At Home in Massachusetts … Sort Of

So far my summer has been somewhat busy but also very relaxing. When I arrived home in Massachusetts at the beginning of May, I didn’t have any big plans for the next few months other than rehabbing and working. I spent some time at home in Western Mass with my Mom. I hung out with some high school friends and also spent time with my older brother Pat, who works at Pazzo’s (a restaurant at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield). I decided that I needed to find a job ASAP to make some cash for the school year. I had recently filled out an application at JCrew and after going in for an interview I was offered a position for the summer. Not only does this mean money, but also some great discounts on clothes!

Because JCrew is in nearby Connecticut, my sister and brother-in-law invited me to come live with them for the summer. They recently moved from Boston to Cheshire, CT and into a new house that is gorgeous. Because they have plenty of spare bedrooms and their house is only 15 minutes away from work, I decided it would be the perfect place to spend my summer. Over the past few weeks I have been helping them get settled into their new home. My boyfriend Blake was visiting and we helped take down wallpaper, prep, and paint. I never knew that housework could be so tedious!

Now that things are settling down, I have pretty much been busy working, going to the gym, and catching up with friends. I have talked to a lot of people on the team pretty regularly and we have been making plans to get together plus keeping each other motivated with our summer workouts! Lisa Eberhart and I have been trying to find a weekend where I can go up to Rochester and spend time on their boats at the lake. I’m also trying to get together with Tini (Christine Nasca) and go visit my older brother Bill who lives in Boston. Kara Fleet (who graduated this past year) lives pretty close by in Connecticut and we have been chatting and looking to go out in Hartford or get to the beach.

Because my Dad lives in a condo in Florida, I am usually down there for the summer, taking advantage of the workout room that they have. But because I am up in the Northeast this summer, I had to get my first real gym membership (I have never belonged to a gym before!) to continue my knee rehab. So now I go every day to workout and lift, and all the rehab has been going along smoothly. My gym is actually in Bristol, CT, so I get to drive by ESPN everyday which is pretty cool. My knee brace comes off in about a week and I am very anxious about that. I have been stuck in it for almost 3 months which has seemed like forever. And I am not allowed to start running until July, so I am working hard at my cardio with the elliptical and riding on the bike trail that we have in town. Working at JCrew has been good and I have taken advantage of my discount to buy some good clothes for the summer. I have also taken advantage of the warm weather and have been to the beach to work on my tan!

This past week has been busy, especially because of the World Cup. I know that a lot of us on the team have been watching all of the games and are rooting for the US to beat Ghana. Manoj has been in touch with us a lot through email planning for pre-season and the fall. We found out that we got a new contract with Puma for uniforms, equipment and shoes. We are all pretty excited about our new contract with Puma! I know I am pumped because I have been wearing Puma King cleats for as long as I can remember. And it is pretty cool to see all the teams in the World Cup who are sponsored by Puma. There are some classy jerseys and I know that a lot of us can’t wait to see all of our new gear. Now, the first day of pre-season will seem more like Christmas because of everything we’ll be getting.

It seems like everyone has been working hard on their fitness and many of us have been in touch with each other to check in and see how things are going. Lisa Eberhart, Bird (Jess Bartock) and Pam Stottele were back at school last week doing a "Soccer Panel" with some recruits who were on campus. They said it was a lot of fun and really cool to meet some potential new teammates so early. I know Manoj has been busy bringing in a lot of 2007’s to campus – I’m bummed cause I’ll never get to play with any of them since this is my last season! I just hope they represent!

In closing, I have to admit that there are no complaints about my summer, except that it is going by way too fast. I have a busy month of July ahead with a soccer camp that I am working at, a trip down to Tennessee and beginning my fitness regimen. My Dad is also coming up to visit from Florida for a week. It would have been nice to be able to play more this summer but my rehab has been is keeping me busy. The days are passing by pretty quickly, and I know preseason will be here very soon. The hard work that we are all putting in now is definitely going to pay off come August! Talk to you all next month! Go Bonnies!

Kerry O’Malley #9
SENIOR