Kansas State Visit

It was fun to go back to Manhattan, Kansas. I haven't been there since my college days. All I had to do was drive by an old apartment, see a couple intersections in Aggieville and so many memories of visiting Shelby and Julie rushed back. Oh those were fun crazy days. Please Lord, help me guide my children in a better direction than the one I traveled in my early years.

Kansas State University Wildcats use to be known as the Aggies back before Texas Tech was the Aggies. Even though KSU is still an agricultural school, there's so much more. A Division I, Big 12 school with fantastic academic, social and athletic opportunities is just the kind of place we hope Reagan will chose to play for and continue her education.

Six Elite Girls Academy 01 teammates are actively being recruited by Coach Dibinni's soccer staff. What an honor it is to have a busy coach spend an entire day with your daughter in hopes to have her chose their program. K-State finished their inaugural soccer season with a 4-3-8 season. Not great but not terrible for a program primarily made up of freshmen playing upper classmen. I went to Manhattan thinking this is NOT the place for Reagan. To my surprise, I was impressed with the coach's vision and plan to execute, the proposed facilities and the campus in general. This would give Reagan the opportunity to help build a program, maybe be part of a historical first ever Big 12 championship. For being a brand new program, it's unbelievable that they will have a $17 million facility built before Reagan's freshman year of 2020. I'm not a fan of purple but I would wear it if my daughter choses K-State. 

Makenzie, Avery and Reags

 This picture does not do the locker room justice. Seriously, K-State has the nicest locker rooms we have seen thus far! We were able to tour basketball and football lounges, locker rooms and media rooms since soccer's won't be built until next year.

 We all thought the football stadium looked small. I guess Nebraska's memorial Stadium is so impressive, there's an unfair comparison. Since she won't be playing on the football field, it doesn't really matter...just an observation.

The coaches

Pam & Roger

 An absolute highlight of my day: running into Roger and Pam Barta at the basketball game. Roger was my HS math teacher, track coach and they both played the role of surrogate parent from time to time. Their middle child has been a dear friend to me since we were 5 years old. One night Shelby and I came home two hours past curfew. When we walked in, there they stood. I don't remember everything they said but it started with, "Melanie, I'm talking to you too, now sit down!" They loved me enough to treat me as one of their own. Pam and Rog want what's best for Reags but I'm pretty sure they are pulling for her to pick K-State. When I say they are die-hard fans I mean their blood may even be purple. 

We had an impressive unofficial college visit, watched an intense men's basketball game, enjoyed exceptional food at the training table and Aggieville and attended an overwhelming individual meeting. There is a certain level of stress that comes with these phenomenal opportunities but above all we know we are greatly blessed to be in this situation. Keep working hard child and as Tim McGraw sings, "Always Stay Humble and Kind"