FIRST PERSON
Y 38
‘Inspired to excel’
You can think it’s the sips from the Old Well. Or that we wake At the highest level, the atmosphere at UNC has always up with Carolina blue skies and God already on our side. Whatever fostered student-athletes to leave Carolina better than when they your argument, I can’t pinpoint why the atmosphere and culture arrived and to make those around them better. around UNC women’s sports continues to attract and produce the And you don’t dream of being a Tar Heel if you don’t also best in everything. dare to be a champion. The two go hand-in-hand. Winning is a But I can share what four priceless years at Carolina have tradition here, and it’s what motivates each of us - athlete, coach, revealed to me. fan, everyone. My journey as a female athlete has We play to win, but our sustained always been grounded in a simple success is a byproduct of the culture the infinitive: “to inspire.” 9-year-old Erin didn’t Carolina family nurtures year after year. forget the first time Karen Shelton saw her Karen Shelton has left her mark on 41 It’s the Carolina family who has that play; she wanted to learn from her and be of the 50 years of UNC women’s athletics. unforgettable impact on so many part of the dynasty she created. 15-year-old She’s ingrained in her players that we are young women, who lights the fire Erin didn’t only care about scores of UNC “beautiful, strong, powerful women” in Field Hockey games; she loved watching within us to run towards challenges everything we do. the girls play hard, smart, and together, She’s told us countless times to never when others run away, and who promising herself she would do whatever forget this, and looking back, it seems in greatly inspires us to believe in it took to be out there one day. my heart Carolina has been reminding me 21-year-old Erin cares about winning of the same for years. It’s something we, ourselves and teammates, always.” championships, but she also cares about as female athletes, will take with us for the crowds of younger players and fans rest of our lives. waiting for autographs after games, or having to respond to So, keep telling 9-year-old girls they too can become legends, consistent streams of DMs from kids asking how to become a Tar champions, and leaders. All they need is a little inspiration. Heel someday. I believe what separates Carolina women’s athletics from every other university isn’t just the state-of-the-art facilities, the unwavering support from the Rams Club and our community, the treasure trove of conference and national championship trophies, or everyone’s undeniable desire to be a champion. It’s the Carolina family who has that unforgettable impact on so many young women, who lights the fire within us to run towards challenges when others run away, and who greatly inspires us to believe in ourselves and teammates, always. ERIN MATSON Each team’s atmosphere is built and upheld by remarkable Field Hockey coaches, undoubtedly influenced by the greats who came before them. They understand their job is to not only mentor on the playing field, but more importantly, in life. And while every coach has different ways of cultivating this, every female athlete knows she’s part of something much bigger than herself. She owns the fact that she represents her program, but also her university. She understands that whatever she does would not be possible without those that came before her and those that stand beside her. She takes pride in being an inspiration to the next generations, setting and breaking records while hoping other 9-year-olds dream of doing the same. The mindset isn’t one that everyone shares, and it’s one that must be preserved. That’s what’s so special about each female athlete here. And what, in turn, invites only the best of the best. Illustration by Jason McCorkle
BORN & BRED
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