Villeage Voices: More than Just a Game

By Cameron Gabrielson ‘24

In this edition of Villeage Voices, Cameron Gabrielson ’24 talks about the challenges and rewards that make her love playing soccer so much. She arrived at Lawrenceville as a Fourth Former and made an immediate impact on the girls’ varsity soccer team, earning Mid-Atlantic Prep League First Team honors both years. The goalie served as Big Red’s co-captain last fall. She also plays for the Elite Club National League (ECNL) team PDA Blue 06, which was the ECNL North Atlantic Champion in 2022 and 2023. She competed in the 2022 ECNL Houston Showcase National Selection Game and was invited to the U.S. Women’s Youth National Team Identification Center Training in 2022. Gabrielson signed a NCAA National Letter of Intent with Georgetown last fall, committing to attend the university and play for the Hoyas in 2024.

Why do I play soccer? When I was asked this question, I thought it would be easy to answer - I play because I love it. While this is true, upon deeper reflection I realized that articulating why I love playing soccer is challenging. While I could have spent my childhood mastering complex mathematical equations or learning everything there is to know about sharks or becoming the next musical prodigy, I chose to spend hours of my life learning the art of preventing a ball from crossing a white line painted on the ground. When you put it that way, dedicating so much time to soccer seems absurd, but to me, soccer is more than just a hobby. From the moment I tugged my bright blonde hair back into two wild pigtails and laced up my brand-new hot pink cleats for my first soccer game, I have never stopped loving sports. From soccer to basketball to lacrosse to skiing, sports have been an integral part of my identity and shaped me into the person I am today. While my journey to Division I college soccer has had its ups and downs, sports have taught me several enduring and invaluable life lessons.

Lesson #1: Hard work is required for success

While at the end of the day, I love playing soccer, playing soccer is not always fun. Now, I understand that in order to enjoy the best moments, you have to push through the worst. No one in their right mind can say that driving home after seven hours of classes and three hours of club soccer training, knowing that you have hours of homework waiting for you is “fun.” That being said, nothing beats getting in bed at the end of a long day feeling proud of the hard work you put in. Soccer legend Pele was right in saying that “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” Soccer has taught me that hard work does pay off, even if it might not always feel that way at the moment.

Lesson #2: Teamwork makes the dream work

Even though we sometimes feel that we can do it all alone, at the end of the day, we cannot. While individual talent is important, even the best player in the world cannot single-handedly win a soccer game. According to Dutch National Team Manager, Louis van Gaal, “The most important thing in football is the team, not the individual.” I would not enjoy playing soccer as much if it were not a team sport. The camaraderie of a team pushes me to work hard each and every day. Through soccer, I have also learned a lot about myself as a leader. I have grown to understand that leadership is as much about what you do as what you say. Vocal leadership is important, but I believe a big voice should be balanced with small, positive actions. For me, on and off the field, strong leadership means showing up for my teammates and peers, treating people with respect, and taking the time to help others when they struggle. When everyone is at their best the team thrives.

Lesson #3: Do what you love

If soccer has taught me anything, it is that doing what I enjoy makes me happy. Simply put, I love playing soccer. I love the feeling when I barely tip the ball over the crossbar or execute the perfect distribution pass. I love the feeling when I save a penalty kick and I hear my teammates cheering wildly from the halfway line. I love the feeling of coming home after training feeling fulfilled. Soccer legend Ronaldinho once said, “The beautiful game is all about having fun and enjoying yourself. That’s what I try to do every time I step onto the field.” If I did not love soccer, I probably would have quit by now, but here I am. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to play sports growing up and cannot wait for the next chapter.

Photo credit: Georgetown University

For additional information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.