By JAYDEN SKILLMAN
Rowan Moore of Penn will continue her academic and athletic careers at Northern Illinois University.
Penn Girls Soccer Head Coach Jeff Hart said that Moore has the talent to make an immediate impact on the collegiate level.
“Rowan has all the physical traits to play right away at Northern Illinois,” Hart said. “She’s tall, strong, fast, and she loves the idea of working hard on the field and in the weightroom. Where’s she’s improved during her high school years is in her decision-making, her ability to use both feet effectively, her positive mindset, and in her ability to be a smart, decisive player on the field. The game will be faster at NIU and Rowan’s work ethic, love for the game, and her physical traits will serve her well as the challenges get tougher in the next few years.”
Moore said that NIU impressed her in terms of the environment and culture.
“Northern Illinois stood out to me based on how passionate Coach (Michael) O’Neill was about pushing his program to high standards and giving the team a solid objective for the season, and then continuing to push further than that in the next,” Moore said. “My first phone call with Coach lasted nearly an hour, the longest call I’ve had with a coach, and he diligently explained all of his core values that aligned very well with my own. He was clear and didn’t hold back what he expects from me as a player and I immediately knew that is what I want from a coach where I continue my athletic career.”
Moore said that on her visit to NIU, O’Neill emphasized the entire NIU experience so Moore would feel comfortable and thrive beyond the soccer field. More also liked the positive attitude of the players.
“Your team will be one of the biggest influences on you in your athletic career, and that is why I chose to surround myself with those who can positively impact myself and each other,” Moore said.
Moore said that Penn soccer provided her with a gateway to collegiate soccer and is grateful to the coaches and players who helped her on her journey to Divison I Soccer.
“Penn soccer has been a great program that has helped me grow over the years,” Moore said. “Starting with freshman year, it gave me a lot of opportunity to build my confidence and get introduced to what high school soccer is like, but it was more of a fun season that revolved around making new friends and connections through the sport.
“By the end of sophomore year it was very different. I had been shown what type of players I have to compete against and got the chance to be coached by a D-I coach and see what type of environment I will be walking into. Additionally, it started to build the idea in my mind that I actually could have a chance to play college soccer.
“Junior year, however, was the biggest stepping stone to where I am now, as we got the chance to play against exceptional teams such as Noblesville and Hamilton Southeastern, and I realized how hard I had to work to make it to the Division I level,” Moore continued. “I got insight on the competition, the coaching, and the tough decisions that you have to make sometimes to get the best results for yourself.”
