SCOTT LAWRENCE
Staff Writer
Injuries are an inevitable occurrence in the world of sports. Some can sideline athletes for life, while others may only give them a bruise. But, whether people like it or not, they just happen.
Six games into the ’06 fall season, Waves soccer star Samantha Hire became yet another athlete stripped from participating in the sport she loved. Hire ruptured her MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament), which, at first glance, wasn’t the end of the world. The doctors told her she’d be out six weeks. Unfortunately, it turned into six and a half months.
She was given a medical redshirt for ’06 and went on to start all 19 games last season, a remarkable turnaround following the long and grueling recovery. Hire, a redshirt senior, is now healed and back on the pitch, playing better than ever.
How did you begin your soccer career?
“I didn’t start playing until I was 11 years old. I was just driving with my parents one day and saw a bunch of people playing a pick-up game, and I was like, ‘Mom, I want to play that game.’ She signed me up for AYSO, and I played a year of that. Then I got into Club Soccer, and then four years in high school. I keep playing because it’s just so much fun.”
What was the recruiting process like for you during high school?
“I was getting letters from all over the country. My club coach is the head coach at USC, and he was really involved in helping my teammates and I get hooked up with schools. My sophomore year of high school, I wrote to Pepperdine and told them that I was interested in playing for them, and they just kept their eye on me. Right before my senior year, I committed to coming here.”
Why did you decide to attend Pepperdine?
“It was my dream school, and I wanted to stay close to home, which is in San Diego. And, I wanted to play for a really good team at a Christian school. The only other school I was seriously considering was Baylor, but it’s in Texas, and I wanted my parents to be able to come watch me play. Baylor was looking to build the year that I was coming in, and I thought Pepperdine had a better team.”
What is the fondest memory of your five years as a part of the soccer team?
“I’d say my fondest memory is a little bittersweet. I always wanted to go to UNC (University of North Carolina) because I always kind of idolized them. In my sophomore year, we played them in the Sweet Sixteen. It was fun to get to go to their place and play. They had a ton of fans come out and a nice stadium. We lost 6-0, but it was still a dream come true to play them.”
What is your greatest personal accomplishment?
“I think my junior year was pretty hard for me. I played six games and then got injured. But, getting through that and then staying for another year is just awesome. Every day that I’m here, I feel extremely blessed. I almost completely ruptured my MCL. They told me I would be out six weeks, and it ended up being six and a half months, so it was pretty rough. It was long and grueling and a lot of physical therapy.”
How have you grown as a player, and what has contributed to that?
“I think I’ve definitely grown as a player and as a person being here. Our coach, Tim Ward, does a great job taking us in as we are, and through video and through personal one-on-one trainings they just find specific areas in our game and work on it with us. We have a great coaching staff that is willing to put in the time to help us get better. It’s been a great learning process being at Pepperdine and playing for this team.”
What is your take on head coach Tim Ward?
“I love him. I think his willingness to come out and have fun is just great. He’s not one of those coaches who are just going to yell at you. He does get upset, obviously, when we don’t play well, but every day is a new day, and we come out and work hard for him. I’ve had him for five years now, and he’s definitely helped me grow the most as a player.”
How would you critique the team’s play through the first 11 games, and what are your goals for the rest of the season?
“We’ve kind of put ourselves in a tough situation, not winning the games we should win. But, we’re definitely still in it. Our goal is to win the conference and make it back to the NCAA tournament and go further than we have in the past.”
How would you evaluate the incoming players, and what does the future hold for the team?
“I think we have some great players coming in this year, but we’re dealing with a lot of injuries right now. Once everyone gets healthy and gets playing, I think our team will go far. We have some young leaders who will do great things and have great careers at Pepperdine.”
Submitted 10-02-2008
