Oct. 23, 2003
Interview conducted by Katie Bradley, Illinois Athletic Public Relations
KB: What is your job as a midfielder?
JS: My job is mainly to possess the ball and dictate the play. Make the passes through to the frontrunners that hopefully end up leading to goals, but mainly controlling the game and setting the pace and tone.
KB: Forwards seem to get all the glory by scoring goals and the defense gets praise for shutouts, Midfielders don' t get much recognition from the media. Does that bother you or is it just expected as a midfielder?
JS: Personally, it doesn't bother me. I don' t have to be in the spotlight. I wouldn' t say it's expected that we don' t get recognition; hopefully our midfielders are the ones who end up with the assist on the play or make the contribution of making the first pass that ends up in a goal or stops a tackle that could have been given a goal for the other team. We can be the first part of a big play.
KB: Looking back on your four years, what memory stands out most in your mind?
JS: I have a couple of them mainly against Penn State. Everything seems to be against Penn State. Freshman year we took them to a triple overtime. Then of course last year beating them; scoring four goals in about 20 minutes to win the game, that was pretty awesome. Another time during my sophomore year against Michigan State, we were kind of in a slump and we scored a goal. It wasn't the first goal we scored but it was just a huge turning point and everybody on the field ran by the bench and gave each other high fives. If you see our games now sometimes you'll see one person run by, but at this one instant it was just a whole turning point in our season and our entire team did it. Other than that just locker room memories, bus rides and off the field stuff that will stay with me for years to come.
KB: Senior night is coming up, how nice has it been to end on a great season so far?
JS: It definitely will make it harder to leave ending on such a good note and enjoying playing so much, but then again it is better than having a losing season or a season that did not go well to end my career.
KB: After this year's senior class graduates, what does the team need to do or continue on doing to stay on top?
JS: Well, our team has lots, of depth so while the four seniors will be missed, I don' t think it's something that they will not be able to replace. If they continue to work hard and especially train hard over the summer and come back in the best shape that they can be in and the juniors step up to leadership roles, I think they will have no problem continuing to stay where we are now or to become even better.
KB: What will it take for the team to win the Big Ten Tournament?
JS: It will take a lot of heart, playing hard and wanting to do it. We have the potential, it's completely in our reach to do it, we just have to make up our minds that that's what we want and go for it.
KB: What is the biggest difference between Tullahoma, Tenn. And Illinois?
JS: Well Tullahoma is in the South, so people tend to talk a little different. The thing I noticed the most my freshman year was when you walk out on the street and you just pass by people. You don' t look at them or say hi, you just keep on going, where as in the south, typically, you don't have to know someone to say hi.
KB: Why the number #13?
JS: #12 was taken, which was my number for years, so #13 was the next closest number. It has worked out well.
KB: What is in your CD player right now?
JS: A mix of a lot of newer stuff. Kind of like our warm up tape, a little hip-hop.
KB: What are your plans after graduation?
JS: After graduation I plan to go to physical therapy school. Duke, Emery or Washington depending on where I get accepted, but it will be a three-year doctorate program. So hopefully I'll come out as a physical therapist in another three years.
