Sports Union August 5, 2018 | Page 11

Athletes in every sport will tell you can pick up a lot from just standing on the sidelines and watching the plays develop . It could be as simple as just watching where the defenders and midfielders stand . It ’ s a different perspective .

But , nothing compares to playing . Being out there with your teammates . Calling out where they should be . Helping them win games . That ’ s why this offseason has been an important one for Batch . She is working hard to get her game back to where it was during her high school career .

Batch is putting in the work and sacrificing to make sure she is the best there when she stepped foot back on the Arkansas campus .

“ I think I have sacrificed a lot to make sure that when I get back I did everything I could to come in as ready as I can ,” stated Batch . “ The goal / idea of starting is an everyday thing that motivates me during workouts and trainings . The others are very good too and I think it ’ ll all just depend on who shows up and is best for the team when it comes around .”

Missing her entire freshman year , Batch knew she needed to get some playing time to stay sharp before preseason started for the Razorbacks . So , in the spring , Batch joined the Western New York Flash . The Flash play in the United Women ’ s Soccer League .

Being able to get into some games , and get the feel of her net again , was an important step to getting back to her old self .

“ To get some game experience was really important especially because that ’ s what I ’ m lacking due to the redshirt / injured year ,” said . “ The players playing were D1 competitors too and it was unfortunate that is was so far away and that I didn ’ t have much time back home to continue with them but glad I got the little time playing with them that I did .”

We keep referring to getting back to her old self . In high school , Batch put up video game numbers . She was a dominate player between the pipes , putting up numbers that some of the professional keepers would only dream off .

It was her play in high school that got people noticing . As she states , however , it

look back on high school soccer it always brings a smile to my face . I had the opportunity to be on a great team and really grow up around that program . My years on varsity really varied but I think that the later years , especially my senior year , we had been playing together so long that everyone just had so much trust in one another and knew how each one played so that was the main reason for success ,” explained Batch . “ The amount of goals given up is really a whole team accomplishment even though I get most of the credit for it ... they saved me sometimes and I saved them sometimes and they trusted me to do my job and I trusted them to do theirs but in all seriousness I couldn ’ t have done it without my team in front of me .”

With her high school career coming to and end , Batch could have went to college anywhere . She probably could have followed her sister to Syracuse . But she had something else in mind . SEC soccer is probably the best , or one of the best , conferences in the country .

It ’ s crazy to think that a girl from update New York would travel all the way down to Arkansas for soccer . But , that ’ s exactly what Batch did . And she isn ’ t retreating the decision one bit .

“ It was hard definitely ... I got injured during spring of my senior year during track and was out all summer . So when I was cleared and got on campus I was so eager to get out and compete but wasn ’ t smart in the way I did it and reinjured my foot ,” explained Batch .

“ Its crazy how many times I get asked this question because I know it ’ s crazy for people up here to think about it . But there was so many things to love about the school ,” stated Batch . “ As soon as I got down there I fell in love with the whole environment down

there . “ I liked how supportive all the teams were of each other , I liked the campus and how many opportunities the athletes were given to succeed , was super impressed by the coaches , and loved the idea of this uprising program that would push me so I am able to grow into the person and player I wanted to be .”

You could say the player she wants to be is someone she knows very well . Athletes normally idolize fellow athletes . Just think of how many athletes love Mesi or Ronaldo . It ’ s just one of those things .

Batch also looked up to an athlete when she was growing up . It ’ s just this one didn ’ t play for Roma or Real Madrid . This athlete lived in the same house .

“ I think my sister is probably someone I looked up to both athletically and in other parts because she was also a D1 soccer player ( at Syracuse University ) but also a 4.0 pre med student and captain ,” stated Batch . “ That is something I strive for .. to be excelling at both school and soccer , and be a figure for others to look up to and strive to be like . I believe that this also is due a little to my parents who have raised us this way and provided for us so we are able to do so .”

After a year of recovery , Alexis Batch is ready to prove to everyone she is 100 percent and ready to compete for herself and teammates .