A Chat with SFA Soccer's Senior Amanda Doyle
9/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Amanda Doyle is a senior from the Plano area, who is majoring in Kinesiology. Her plans for after graduation are to become a physician's assistant or a nurse practitioner.
Doyle' start to soccer began way before she came to play at SFA. The Doyle family revolves around soccer. "My sister plays at Arkansas. She is a freshman there and is tearing it up. My little brother plays soccer. My mom played soccer up until college because she went to The University of Texas and that was when they did not have women's soccer there." Her mom, Sh'Rae, was her influence into the soccer world. She was the coach for all the kids when they were little. Sh'Rae would go to all their practices, and when they got older, the kids would help run each other's practices. "It just has been a thing in our family, playing soccer everywhere."
Stephen F. Austin has been home to Doyle for the past three years. She really loves the feel of the small town and the people here. It is really cool to go to a restaurant and know a majority of the people you see. She fell in love with the Nacogdoches charm. "I met so many players on campus when I was walking around. [They] were so excited to see me, and it was much more welcoming and homey."
Last year during a Sunday night game against Houston Baptist, Doyle made a game-winning goal that would turn into her favorite collegiate moment. The game had been tied at one apiece with three minutes left in regulation. Doyle scored with her first header goal from a cross sent by Hanna Barker. "I have never scored a header in my entire life, so that being my first one and it being a game winner, was just awesome," remembered Doyle. Close games like that always bring the team together. They were dog-piling and celebrating at the end. The team kept working hard, no matter the odds. "If we didn't have all those close game wins, then we probably would not have won last year. We wouldn't have all these consecutive championships without [the hard work]."
Doyle is a dedicated players and leader for the SFA team. After her time at Stephen F. Austin, she wants to be remembered as a good leader, and not just because she wears the captain's band. "I want to have shown it out on the field that I can lead people and motivate them to be the best that they can," said Doyle. She is someone who always gives 100%, was always positive, and didn't give up.
If you could describe Head Coach Wally in one word, what would it be? "He is wanna-be-hip", "old-hip", or "techno hip". He loves music. Whenever we are in the van, we are like oh my gosh we are in Wally's van, because he always chooses the music. We are just sitting there, and he is just fist pumping in the front seat. Sometimes he tries to be cool and say things like "biap, biap" and makes up words. He tries to seem really hip, so its almost like an "old hip" or a "wanna-be-hip". It's super cool and funny.
Who do you think is the best singer on the team? Jules, Julianna [Echavarry]. Ask her to sing, she will never shut-up. I wouldn't say best singer but the person who will do it in front of you for show or randomly just start singing. Actually if you ever interview Jules, Tyler [Johnson] and Breezy [Breanna Moore] you will have to ask them about the rip-off from Pitch Perfect. They make up their own beats. They practice in their own dorm rooms, and record themselves. They will send the team videos of them making up Pitch Perfect voices, and then they sing songs and battle each other. Jules initiates it, and that's why I say Jules. She is all for it. They practice on their own time and it's weird. Then they do it on the bus for us and in the locker room. It is so funny.
If there was an arm wrestling contest with the team, who would win? Barker. That girl has some arm muscles. We always make fun of her for it.
What's your favorite song to listen to before a game? I am not a very big music person, but my freshman year, the "Fighter", which was our theme song. Whenever that song comes on before a game, I enjoy that. It was like our motivational song. I like "Me to Me" by Rihanna or "Closer" by the Chainsmokers. Those are songs that I like but not necessarily pump me up for a game. I like to just listen to them.
If you could eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be? Salmon, mashed potatoes and green beans. The salmon that my dad makes is so good. I don't know how he makes it, but best salmon I have ever had. He makes it every time I come home.
-SFA-
