Jan 14,
2001 - 04:23 PM
Cougars' star shakes off nagging
pain
CLEARWATER - Despite
acquiring college soccer scholarship, Countryside star ignores injuries to play
the sports she loves.
Some may call her foolish.
Others may refer to her as dedicated. Others will call her a star.
Countryside offensive
wizard Stephanie Freeman really doesn't care what people call her, as long as
she gets to play soccer.
That's why she is not a
happy camper.
One of Pinellas County's
top players, Freeman has already verbally accepted a soccer scholarship from
the University of Florida.
And while sitting out a
sprained anterior cruciate ligament, Freeman wants nothing more than to play
soccer for the Cougars.
``I badly sprained my right
knee, it's frustrating,'' Freeman said. ``We were playing Land O' Lakes and I
made a stupid tackle. I went in to reach for [the ball]. It was 50-50 if I
could have gotten it.''
Freeman's description of
the play tells plenty about her gung-ho attitude. Resting or not playing to
avoid another injury is appalling to Freeman.
``Everything is set for
me,'' Freeman admitted. ``People come up to me and ask, `Why don't you take
time off and not play?' But I love playing soccer. There is no way I would quit
for a just a few injuries.''
Freeman's coach, Tony
Atherholt, can only smile at such comments.
``She's one in a
lifetime,'' Atherholt said. ``It kills her to sit on the sidelines and watch.''
But that is only temporary.
She is expected to play when Countryside faces Land O' Lakes on the road.
``She's definitely ready to
get out against Land O' Lakes because that's where [her recent injury]
happened,'' Atherholt said.
But Freeman seems to be an
expert at forgetting pain. In her freshman year, she sat out with the very same
injury to her knee.
``But I can't remember
which one,'' Freeman said.
``I'm getting used to
[pain],'' Freeman said. ``I have horrible ankles. I sprained them so many
times, I don't remember. But no matter how much you [play with injuries], it's
still not fun.''
But Freeman isn't just a
wounded warrior for the Cougars. She sometimes serves as an alternate assistant
coach - when she is injured.
``She really understands
the game,'' Atherholt said. ``She can put in her two cents and [teammates]
respect her and they all listen because they know she knows what she is talking
about. They look up to her.''
Freeman even sees
advantages - if there are any - when she is out with an injury.
``All of these injuries,
they are probably good for the team,'' Freeman said.
``In a way, when I am out,
it makes other players take the place of me and learn how to play in other
positions. It helps the team a lot.''
How good is Freeman? Last
year she led the team with 30 goals. The Cougars' second leading scorer had
eight goals.
``She can dribble through
two players, three players and score,'' Atherholt said. ``It doesn't matter who
is guarding her.''
Knowing that Freeman
doesn't have to play, with her scholarship already locked up, Atherholt counts
his blessings.
``It's a tribute to her
that she is playing,'' Atherholt said.
``She doesn't need us.''