Soccer star Irene Calabria learned to play with the boys

Irene Calabria, co-captain of MCCC's women's soccer team, got her first soccer ball when she was only three years old, and in that moment a love for the sport was born. However, she grew up in Madrid, Spain where young girls are not given the opportunity to play soccer.

"When I was in school, it was soccer just for guys… my mom had to go and say to the professors my girl wants to play soccer so let her play," she said.

Calabria played with the boys until the age of 14 when it was first possible to play on an all girls team. However, she said the girls "weren't so good", and decided to take some time off from soccer until she got to college.

After graduating from the college with a bachelor's degree she decided that she wanted to pursue opportunities in America. In August of 2010, Calabria traveled overseas to a foreign land to begin a new academic and athletic career.

"It was difficult because of the language," she said, having never spoken English outside of a school setting.

After three semesters at Mercer, Calabria has adapted and flourished in her new environment. Playing the position of left defender, Calabria earned second team all conference honors in her first year, and this past semester she was voted to the first team all conference as well as the Garden State Athletic Conference First Team.

"From the door she's energetic. She's one of the best female defenders I've seen in a long time," said coach Michelle Ogborn-Heywood. She continued, "[Calabria's] the whole package of what you look for in a female athlete."

According to her coach and teammates, Calabria deploys a combination of hard work, leadership through example and competitive spirit.

"She's in the gym every single day, sometimes more than once a day" says Michelle Ogborn-Heywood.

Despite a groin injury early in the season, Calabria played through the pain to help the team.

"Without a doubt a couple of games we won would have been lost without her. She was a major factor in all of our wins," said Ogborn-Heywood. When things looked bleak after the women's team got off to a seven loss and one tie start this past season, Calabria's competitiveness wouldn't quit.

"When we were losing she just kept giving and giving," said Ogborn-Heywood. Eventually the team would turn their season around, finishing with a 7-12-1 record.

Goalkeeper Jessica Larsen believes that Calabria's best moment from the season was when she broke away form her left defenders position to help out the team offensively. Clabria took the ball and headed up the field. Irene weaved the ball down the field and took aim from around midfield and soared a shot over the head of the opposing goalkeeper for a goal. "It was the most amazing shot I've ever seen in my life," said Larsen.

While her position as defender occasionally affords her opportunities to score goals, her real mission is to make it more difficult for an opposing player to get the ball past teammate and goalkeeper Jessica Larsen. "She saves me constantly and I love her for it," said Larsen.

Calabria plans to graduate Mercer with a physical therapist assistant degree, and hopes to transfer to a four year college, preferably one that allows her to continue playing soccer.