Kellsi Parson, a midfielder for the Lady Cardinals’ soccer team, is feeling right at home here at North Idaho College.
A natural athlete, she has been playing soccer since she was about four years old and playing collegiate level soccer has always been a dream and goal for the freshman.
She has played many other sports but soccer is the one that she was most drawn to. Parson was even offered a spot on the school’s Fastpitch softball team as an outfielder but decided to focus on soccer.
Parson said that the “team aspect” of the game and the fact that “it takes everyone to come up with a goal,” are major contributing factors to her attraction to the game.
She also likes the fact that soccer can be a “somewhat contact sport.”
While recruiting Parson, NIC women’s soccer coach Dan Hogan said her “athletic ability in the midfield and ability to read a play and make decisions,” impressed him.
Parson chose NIC as her college destination because it is fairly close to home. Only about a two hour drive separates her from her home and family in Lewiston.
Another factor in Parson’s decision to attend NIC was that it offers a criminal justice program.
The scenic NIC campus was also an influence in her decision to attend school here, along with the athletic program of course.
After her time here at NIC, Parson plans to return to Lewiston and attend Lewis-Clark State College and finish her degree in criminal justice.
Parson noticed a few differences between high school and college soccer.
The biggest difference Parson has noticed is in the classroom. Grades have become more important, are checked more often, and athletes are held more accountable for their academic performance than they were in high school.
Parson has also found that the team has to be more of a unit on the field, a vital factor for college level soccer.
“It can’t be a one-man team,” she said. “Everyone has to come together to make a great team.”
One of the goals Parson set for herself going into the season was to be in the starting lineup, a goal she has accomplished.
A current goal Parson has for her and her teammates is to finish the season at the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) women’s soccer nationals in Melbourne, Fla.
Parson said one of her favorite aspects of the season so far has been their success.
The Lady Cardinals finished the regular season Saturday with a 9-3-2 record.
She also has enjoyed her teammates.
“They are a really fun team and we always have a great time,” she said.
