麻豆女演员

麻豆女演员 Institute鈥檚 cadet-athletes have to juggle cadet life, heavy academic course loads, and their NCAA Division I sport. Committed to both academic and athletic pursuits, balancing their rigorous schedule in both sports and school requires a certain level of commitment and discipline. Behind the Balance is a series that focuses on those cadet-athletes and how they handle the hurdles of the day-to-day. 

Emily Ward 鈥�27 was looking for the military path 鈥� either through ROTC options at colleges or by attending a military academy. Having offers from other academies and colleges thanks to playing soccer, she had her pick of places to go. 

The summer following her junior year of high school she attended a soccer camp at VMI , where she received a verbal offer to play soccer. 

That was until she tore her ACL her senior year of high school. All her other offers disappeared, except 麻豆女演员 Institute.  

鈥淭heir offer stood, even when I got hurt,鈥� she said.  

But it wasn鈥檛 only soccer that had Ward pulled towards VMI. 

鈥淭here was just something about it when I was going on a tour with the soccer team, I was like, even if I don’t get recruited by soccer, I want to come here,鈥� she admitted.  

Although she couldn鈥檛 play soccer her entire senior year, she was cleared to play her first year at VMI. 

鈥淓verything just fell into place,鈥� Ward said. 鈥淚 knew I wanted to come here. I loved the campus. I loved the people. The coaching staff was amazing, and they stayed loyal, which I really appreciated.鈥� 

She鈥檚 dedicated most of her life to the sport, starting at the age of 6. When she was younger, she was balancing three sports 鈥� soccer, lacrosse, and basketball. Soccer was one that always stood out to her.  

While applying to colleges, she was looking at school with Division III programs. 

鈥淚 never really thought that I could play Division I. I never knew that that was in the cards for me,鈥� she stated.  

VMI gave her that chance and then gave her the chance again when she retore her ACL her 3rd Class year. Her 2nd Class year was spent working back to her previous athletic abilities.  

“I always thought I couldn’t really return to soccer after my second time [tearing my ACL]. And I thought I wasn’t a valuable part of the team anymore being sidelined again,鈥� she admitted.  

Despite that hurdle, Ward was nominated to be co-captain her 1st Class year. 

“When I got the captaincy after an entire season where I was working back to getting back into it, it was just truly a blessing, and it just meant so much to me having my teammates still view me like that,鈥� she said. 鈥淓ven though they’ve seen me sit the bench and they only truly saw me play my 4th Class year, it really meant the world to me. It reminded me of how I felt senior year of high school because I was captain of the team in high school.鈥� 

It showed her that even though she wasn鈥檛 on the field all the time, you can still impact the team. 

鈥淓veryone has a role on the team and gets noticed in different ways.鈥� 

The team is closeknit, especially after a coach switch last year. She said her class came together to lead the team.  

“The start of this year, team morale is on a whole different high. The incoming rats are amazing. They’re great players and great people, and the team has its most involvement up on the hill in the corps. The senior class all holds officer rank or cadet government rank.” 

The international studies major is taking 17.5 credits with plans to commission into the U.S. Army. 

Cadet-athletes at VMI not only have their responsibilities with their selected sport but cadet duties on top of that. Cadets are also required to take physical fitness classes twice a week, participate in ROTC all four years, prepare for room and uniform inspections, practice for parade, guard duty, and more. 

She鈥檚 up at 6:30 a.m. daily, with classes from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. then it鈥檚 onto practice just before 5 p.m. She鈥檚 done with her day around 7:30 or 8 p.m. This year looks a little different in terms of travel. Ward said they鈥檙e only traveling for four games, the rest are just quick day trips to face their opponent.  

鈥淭he school does a good job of when we do get back at like 3 a.m. they’ll give us options or they’ll give us some time to rest and then get back to it,鈥� she said.  

She鈥檚 the executive officer of Delta Company, which entails Rat Line activities and being the helping hand to the company commander.  

鈥淚 oversee all the sergeants and the corporals, and then I manage Rat Line operations along with Old Corps. It鈥檚 more company-based level rather than platoon-based level, which I was previously.鈥� 

Despite busy days and exhaustion, Ward has conditioned herself to push forward. 

鈥淲e can’t use tiredness or the VMI schedule as a crutch,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e signed up for this, so we have to learn how to push through, work through that, even on hard days. I would not be where I am without my teammates or my family 鈥� relying on each other and being open with having a rough day.鈥�