Two weeks in Ethiopia this summer helped Wright State\u2019s Brooklyne Mason confirm that she now plays soccer with a purpose.<\/p>\n
\u201cI learned to appreciate the opportunities I have been given and be thankful for all I have,\u201d the junior defender from Middletown said. \u201cThe people I saw in Ethiopia played with such a passion because soccer is all they have. It hit me hard. I realized that, at times, I might have stepped on the field with no purpose. Now my purpose is to glorify God by playing with all my heart. Realizing that has sparked my game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mason has become a mainstay on defense for the Raiders, who are currently in fourth \u00a0place in the Horizon League.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrooklyne is a tough-as-nails kind of kid,\u201d Wright State coach Pat Ferguson said. \u201cShe has been starting central defender and one of most consistent players on the team this year. When I heard about this (trip to Ethiopia) and how she has grown in her faith, I thought it was really neat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mason traveled with 35 men\u2019s and women\u2019s soccer players from Athletes in Action (AIA), a group that promotes faith through sports. All of the players on the women\u2019s team except Mason were from Canada. Mason had to raise $4,000 on her own to be part of the trip.<\/p>\n
AIA played six games against Ethiopian club teams, conducted youth soccer clinics, and did service work at an orphanage and a missionary school.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were themes for each activity \u2014 being a good teammate, being thankful,\u201d Mason said. \u201cSomeone would share a story about how something like that related to their faith.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Ethiopian women\u2019s club teams played at a \u201cpretty high level,\u201d Mason said, but their dedication to the game was at an even higher level.<\/p>\n
\u201cWomen don\u2019t have as many opportunities there, so it was a pretty new thing for them to be able to play soccer,\u201d Mason said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was really cool environment. We played on dirt fields. The people we played against … they don\u2019t care if they have one ball and it\u2019s flat and they are playing on a dirt field. They love soccer. It was great.\u201d<\/p>\n
The youth camps, at Bahir Dar and the nation\u2019s capital city of Addis Ababa, were well-attended with crowds of eager youngsters ages 4 to 12.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe worked at a soccer academy for orphans and other places where the kids virtually have nothing,\u201d Mason said. \u201cYou saw their faces light up when you hand them a soccer ball.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mason said she had put her faith \u201con the back burner\u201d during high school. She originally committed to Campbell University in North Carolina, but came to Wright State after Campbell changed coaches during the summer prior to her freshman season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told her, \u2018I just don\u2019t see you playing much, and I don\u2019t want that to be your experience here,\u2019\u201d said Ferguson, who had coached Mason on a local club team. \u201cShows you what I know.\u201d<\/p>\n
The sports science major played in only six games as a freshman, but saw the direction of her life change after many conversations with teammate Brinna Price.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrinna was a Christian,\u201d Mason recalled. \u201cI saw how she interacted with others, how she was so satisfied with her faith. It made me realize, \u2018Wow, I want that in my life. I need that fulfillment.\u2019 I wasn\u2019t really sure what I was doing with my life. Connecting with my faith means I can strive to be an example of God\u2019s love, a good teammate who is encouraging at all times, and a loving person.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mason played in 19 games as a sophomore. The former midfielder became a full-time starter on defense five games into this season due to a rash of injuries to her teammates. Now, Ferguson said, \u201cShe\u2019s there to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not the most athletic player,\u201d Mason admitted. \u201cI\u2019m not that fast. I can\u2019t really jump that high. But I am pretty good at seeing the field and playing the ball off to other people. I am pretty feisty. If I see a ball I can get, I am going for it 100 percent.\u201d<\/p>\n
And, she is 100 percent committed to her life\u2019s new direction.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I started finding success on the field is when I took a step back from soccer and put my faith first,\u201d Mason said. \u201cI love soccer. I am incredibly blessed to be here. But my faith is No. 1 in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Two weeks in Ethiopia this summer helped Wright State\u2019s Brooklyne Mason confirm that she now plays soccer with a purpose. Continue reading