"Dual"-ing Athletes

There is no "off-season" for these athletes...

    We recently caught up with some of the Gustavus Women's Soccer team's dual sport athletes to ask them a few questions about the sports they play and a few other personal details to help you better get to know them.

Bottom: (L-R) Leah Brossoit, Amanda Cartony; Top (L-R) Mel Sorensen, Jess Richert

   There were some typical answers, some strange questions and a few responses that made us scratch our head...

Meet your Gustavus Women's Soccer dual sport athletes:

Jess Richert, Soccer and Basketball, Senior 

Leah Brossoit, Soccer and Track & Field (Long Jump, Triple Jump, 200s and occasionally 400s), Junior

Amanda Cartony, Soccer and Hockey, Junior

Mel Sorensen, Soccer and Track & Field (Hurdles and 4 x 200 relay), Freshman


1.  What's your favorite thing about each sport? 

Jess: "I love the atmosphere and spirit of camaraderie of the soccer team.   It's always a fun time even when you're outside in the freezing cold.  Basketball is just a fun sport to play and couldn't really be more different than soccer.  I enjoy working on different athletic aspects."
Leah: "Seeing my team everyday is my favorite part about soccer, and for Track I love the meets!"
Amanda:  "For soccer my favorite thing by far are my teammates.  For hockey, it's the level of competition to be on the 1st or 2nd line."
Mel: "My favorite thing about soccer are my teammates, they honestly make my day everyday!"

2.  What is the strangest thing you've ever eaten? Did it taste good? ... no lying! 


Jess: "Ummm...this wasn't strange for where I was living at the time, but I guess you can't really find it in the US.  I've eaten Dukboki, which is basically little rice cakes covered in a thick red pepper sauce and is usually served with fish cakes cooked in the sauce as well.  It's a pretty popular street food in Korea and is absolutely delicious if you like spicy food.

"
Leah: "I ate alligator in Australia while on vacation with my family during the holidays this winter. It wasn't bad."
Amanda: "Tarantula... If I tell you why, I'd have to kill you."
Mel:  "The only thing I can think of is an anchovy, and it was absolutely DISGUSTING!"

3.  If you had the opportunity to be in a Disney movie for one day, which movie would you pick and which character would you be?  Why?

Jess: "I'd like to be Belle from Beauty and the Beast because she gets to live in a magical castle with a huge library.  Who wouldn't want that?"
Leah: "Ariel from little mermaid because then I could swim."
Amanda:  "Rapunzal from Tangled because I want her hair and her boyfriend."
Mel: "I'd want to be in Peter Pan and be Peter Pan because Neverland is a pretty neat place! Plus if I was him I'd be able to fly plus never grow up." 

   They all agreed that playing more than one varsity sport in college is challenging, but rewarding!  Mel admits, "the hardest part I think is that you don't really have any "off" time from sports to recover, but at the same time it provides very good structure in my schedule, which is nice."  With fall and winter sports overlapping, lack of "transition time" seems to be a common gripe, but on the flip side the girls say "you're always in shape"!!