KERRI HANKS CONTINUED As accomplished as Hanks was upon arriving at Notre Dame, she Trever, and play the nonetheless harbored a little doubt – would she be able to continue her sport competitively. “Just having an older success while hundreds of miles away from her father? “He had taught me everything I had really learned in soccer,” she brother was a huge help because you’re always explains. “He’s one of my role models, and even to this day I train with competing,” says Hanks. him in the off-season.” So when Hanks took the college game by storm by scoring 28 goals “Every single day, we would play in the back as a Notre Dame freshman in 2005, it was somewhat of a relief. “It was knowing that you did this on your own, having to do it by yard, and it was always a competition – who yourself, without your father alongside you all of the time,” she says. Hanks had a chance to return to the Notre Dame campus this fall, could juggle more, or hitting the ball against taking in the Notre Dame-USC football game without having to worry the grids we made on the about her soccer schedule. She also had the chance to watch her former teammates in person. brick wall. “It’s kind of weird,” she says. “I feel like I should be playing.” “I’ve always wanted to Indeed, Hanks is less than a year removed from the conclusion of beat whoever it is,” she says. “He was a center a storybook career that didn’t quite have a storybook ending, as Notre back, so I didn’t follow Dame’s undefeated 2008 season came to an end with a one-goal loss in his footsteps, I was to North Carolina in the College Cup Final for the second time in three seasons. always attacking him.” “It was devastating,” says Hanks. “It still makes me mad to this day. “I wanted my parents “We had a great four years and all of the seniors led,” she says. attention, and I thought, “Hopefully we showed the freshmen and younger players what it takes ‘If I can beat him (Trever), During her career with the Irish, Hanks led to have that kind of success.” I can go brag to dad.’ Notre Dame to three appearances in the NCAA Final Four, including two championship The fact that the heartbreaking losses came at the hands of North “I was always a little games. Notre Dame was 92-10-3 during Carolina, a school Hanks nearly chose to attend, doesn’t make it any snotty kid,” she laughs. Hanks’ career. Hanks recounts a easier. “I could have been on the other side,” she allows. “But what I’ve lesson her father, who played semi-professional football (soccer) in his native England, experienced at Notre Dame is way more than winning a national championship.” imparted about competing with Trever. “One day in the back yard we were playing and I just couldn’t get the ball from him,” she recalls. “I went inside and slammed the door and complained to my dad and he said, ‘Good. He’s not supposed to give you the ball.’ “So I slammed the door again and went back outside and still couldn’t get the ball from him that day, but I was bound and determined and I kept at it. “Eventually, I could get the ball from him maybe two out of 10 times and I said, ‘You can’t talk any garbage to me, I can beat you now.’” Hanks considers Trever, whose promising soccer career ended with a complete blowout of his knee during his senior year in high school, her biggest booster, and they play together in an off-season coed league in Dallas. Hanks also credits her father with preparing her for instant success at the college level. “I’ve always had that extra edge because he understands the game and what has to be done, what it takes to get the next level,” she says. Growing up, Hanks constantly found herself playing at the next level against older players. Playing as a 16-year-old on the United States U-19 A three-time first-team All-American, Hanks holds 20 Notre Dame career records, 13 Irish team provided a big confidence boost as Hanks was single-season records and six Notre Dame single-game records. preparing to start her collegiate career. 232
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