AUGUST 17, 2018 | SportsUnion
what drives others to
succeed. What separates
Carlson from others is
the mental aspect of the
game. Some players have
all the tools to play this
fine game. But, when
they get on the pitch is
sometimes can be easy
to rattle them.
The best thing an op-
posing player can do is
get in your head. If you
are mentally strong to
handle what’s going on
the field then it doesn’t
matter how much talent
you have.
For Carlson the mental
game is something she
works on just as much as
the physical part.
“One thing I believe
I bring to the game is
toughness.
Physical-
ly I use my body well to
keep possession and I’m
always expecting con-
tact from the opposing
player,” stated Carlson.
“But I also bring mental
toughness to the game
by never giving up even
while we are down. I
keep battling no matter
what. Another thing I
think I bring to the table
is speed of play. On a 1v1
situation I take the play-
17
Western New York with
the WNY Flash.
Her team plays in the
competitive ECSL, and
they just recently came
back from Seattle, Wash-
ington, where they fin-
ished in the top eight in
the country. That kind of
experience has helped
her improve her game,
and also has shown her
what she needs to work
on.
“I have constantly been
training and playing all
year for this upcoming
season. My WNY Flash
team won our Ohio
Valley division in the
ECNL giving us a first
seed spot in the nation-
al playoffs. We just re-
cently came back from
the playoffs in Seattle
and were ranked top 8 in
the nation, which took
a ton a work that had to
be done,” stated Carlson.
“I am personally always
running and attending
extra training sessions
along with many oth-
er girls that are on the
team this coming year.
Our St. Mary’s team is
running and training
hard together and will
be for sure ready for the
“I do not put pressure on myself
for the season. It’s the same game
I play all year round and if I play
my game well that’s all I can do,”
stated Carlson.
er on at speed and have
confidence I will have
a winning percentage.
I get around the corner
and cross trying to cre-
ate a goal scoring op-
portunity which I create
many times throughout
the game.”
Carlson is one of those
rare players that can
use her speed and phys-
ical toughness to get
what she need done. She
works on her game tire-
lessly with St. Mary’s
during the season and
with her club team in
the offseason. Carlson is
part of one of the most
successful club team in
season.”
Playing for Brittany
Heist has also been a
great thing for the de-
velopment of Carlson’s
game. Heist is one of
the great ones to come
out of Lancaster High
School before contin-
ue her career at Boston
University. She has tak-
en part in the Empire
State Games, when they
were around, and is now
the athletic director and
coach for St. Mary’s – as
well as a coach for the
WNY Flash.
Heist brings a winning
Continued - Page 24