July 3, 2009
TUKWILA — She scored goals by the bunch. And during her four years at Seattle Pacific, the Falcons won women's soccer games by the bunch.
But about a year after her 2006 graduation, Shannon Lovejoy thought she was done scoring. Thought she might be done playing soccer, too.
Turns out she was only half right.
Today, the former SPU star, whose 17 goals in 2003 is tied for the school's single-season record, is back on the field for her second summer with the Seattle Sounders Women. But if you're looking for her name in the scoring summary, you're not likely to find it.
After carving out a spot in the SPU record book for her offense, Lovejoy is playing as a defender.
“That was a big change. But I kind of fell in love with defense,” said Lovejoy, who's now 25 and says she would like to return to Seattle Pacific, where she earned a communications degree, to study becoming an elementary school teacher. “I didn't think I was any good at it. But once you get in a defensive mindset, it's fun.”
Added Sounders coach Teddy Mitalas, “The one thing is, she's good in the air. In the pro ranks, or even at this level (the W-League, in which the Sounders are considered a semipro team), you have to have ladies in back who aren't afraid to get up there and head the ball.
“And she's good with her feet — I like her in there just because of her distribution with the ball and off the ball,” Mitalas said.
One thing definitely hasn't changed for Lovejoy, who finished her Falcon career with 42 goals, second on the program's all-time list:
She's still part of a winning team. The Sounders are 3-0-5 and in second place, four points behind the defending Western Conference champion Pali Blues of California as they head into their home finale on Friday, July 3, against Real Colorado at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila.
Lovejoy has been at her defender's post for almost every minute, logging 691 of 720 the Sounders have played.
“We have a lot of really talented girls on the team who are so creative (up front). So I'm happy to be in the back,” Lovejoy said.
A TASTE FOR COACHING
Following her 2005 senior season at SPU, Lovejoy got a call from the Northwest Nationals, a club in the Edmonds (Wash.) area for which she played as a youngster. They offered her a chance to coach a U-11 girls team, whose players ranged in age from 8 to 10.
“It was the most fun and rewarding experience I've ever had,” Lovejoy said. “Kids that age have such an excitement for learning.
“I learned as much from the girls as I taught them,” she added. “(Since) it was the club I played for growing up, it was nice to give back.”
She continued to slake her own thirst for the game by playing with the Saints, a top-level Seattle-area side coached by Mitalas. The following year, Lovejoy coached a U-12 Northwest Nationals team, which included some of the girls from her U-11 squad. She was enjoying it so much that she hung up her own playing shoes.
Then, as the time loomed to commit for another season of youth coaching, something happened inside of Lovejoy.
“I kind of wanted to play. I thought I had some more juice left in me,” she said.
Lovejoy got in touch with Mitalas, whose Saints by then had combined with the Sounders Women. Even with a year's playing hiatus, her passion was still there. So were her skills.
“I had to get fit. But I felt like my touch had gotten a little better,” Lovejoy said. “When you're coaching young kids like that, you're always trying to teach them some skills — I had a ball at my feet five hours a week, teaching the girls moves and how to dribble.”
ALWAYS A FALCON
While creating some new moments to remember with the Sounders, Lovejoy certainly hasn't forgotten some of her fondest times with the Falcons. Topping her list: Seattle Pacific's trip to the 2005 NCAA Division II championship game, which she helped set up by converting a penalty kick in a 3-2 semifinal victory against Carson-Newman.
“I'm usually not (nervous on PKs), but I was on that one,” Lovejoy recalled with a laugh.
SPU coach Chuck Sekyra had all the confidence in the world that Lovejoy would make the kick. During her Falcon career, she had converted much tougher shots than a PK.
“She was one of the greatest finishers I've ever had here,” Sekyra said. “She had some great winning goals. She's one of the most competitive players I've had.”
Naturally, Lovejoy followed the Falcons' flight to the national title last fall.
“I knew that we would get a title, if not this year, then next year, or sometime soon,” Lovejoy said. “When a team gets close so many times … I knew it would happen.”
Mitalas says that if Lovejoy wants to, she can make it happen at the next level, now that Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) is on the scene.
“She has the potential. It's what she does with it,” Mitalas said. “She's here because she likes playing and she's having fun. But if she really pushes it for herself, I think she can get picked up (by WPS).”
For her part, Lovejoy will take it year by year.
“I've been real lucky not to have any major injuries. I'll play as long as my body will let me,” she said. “If I'm not playing, I'll be coaching.
“No matter what, soccer will always be in my life.”
