Kristen Fillmore, assistant womens’ soccer coach, has gone from player to spectator and finally coach after the past eight years.During her senior year in high school, the Waco, Texas native toured a few college campuses that offered her the opportunity to play soccer.
“I had been on three college visits before I stepped foot in Thibodeaux,” Kristen said. “I was looking for the small town university where I could have the opportunity to play college ball.”
Fillmore says that one visit to Nicholls was all it took. “Nicholls just fit me, and it had everything I wanted. It was in a small town with a nursing program, and it had a soccer team.”
Fillmore was a defender on the soccer team from 2003 to 2006. In her 2003 season, Fillmore received an All-Conference Honorable mention as a freshman. During practice in the spring of 2005, Fillmore tore her ACL. After surgery and rehab, she was cleared for the upcoming season.
“Three games into the 2005 season, I tore it again. This forced me to be a spectator instead of a player. Watching from the sidelines, I began to think that coaching was something I wanted to pursue, so I switched my major to Education.”
In the spring of 2008, Fillmore continued her education and became a Graduate Assistant for the women’s soccer program. “I jumped at the opportunity,” Fillmore said. “Not many people get the chance to continue to work with their college team after they graduate.”
Fillmore is now the full time assistant coach for the women’s soccer team. This is her eighth season with the team (four as a player and four as a coach).
Fillmore has high expectations for the team this year. “With 16 returners and 16 newbies, it has been fun watching them come together as a team in practice and now games,” she said, “We have worked hard during the preseason, and now we have the opportunity to show it on the field.”
Fillmore says that the team will be much more competitive in games and will be looking to put more balls in the back of the net this year. “We will have a successful season. Now it is up to the ladies on how successful we will become.
