Finding your passion isn’t easy, and sticking to it is even harder. Still, junior Lauren Park committed to University of California, Riverside to pursue her soccer career on their Division 1 team. 

Over the summer, Park’s soccer club coach, Monique Segovia, recommended that she attend UCR’s Identification Camp—a one-day training session where players are evaluated by college coaches. According to Park, Segovia also spoke positively about Park’s skills to UCR’s coaching staff before the camp. Toward the end of the event, a UCR coach approached her and asked for her name. But despite being recruited, she wasn’t always sure she wanted to be a college athlete. 

“I actually didn’t want to start playing [soccer] until the end of my freshman year,” Park said. “I decided that my life would be weird without having soccer in it, since it does take up most of my time.”  

Park has been playing soccer since she was five, initially because her brother also played the sport. She joined a club team at age 10 and played on Northwood’s varsity team during her freshman and sophomore years. This year, she joined Slammers HB Koge, a youth soccer club, and is taking a break from playing at school. 

“Lauren is a tremendous soccer player and an even better teammate,” Segovia said. “She works incredibly hard both on the field and in the classroom. I’m so proud of everything she’s accomplished, and I can’t wait to see what she does next at UCR.” 

According to Park, her biggest challenge is staying motivated, since she has to maintain her grades to keep her scholarship. While she still has her senior year ahead of her, Park is looking forward to attending UCR after graduation.

“I just really like the coaches and the location as well, because it’s not too far from home, but also not too close to home,” Park said. “I also know there’s going to be a lot of pressure for me to perform at the next level.”