Monahan overcomes career-ending injury and scores first collegiate goal
WILLIAMSBURG, V.A. (BVM) – Caroline Monahan comes from a family of athletes. Her father played soccer at Fairfield University whom Monahan’s passion for the sport was heavily influenced by.
“He always went to the field with me and encouraged me to work hard and be my best. His main goal for me was just to have fun and soccer has honestly been fun for me from the start and I owe that to my dad,” Monahan said. “He really taught me to be self motivated.”
Her competitive edge stems from her childhood competing against her older sister who now plays field hockey at Lehigh University. Monahan played competitive soccer on both the Connecticut Football Club teams and Elite Clubs National League teams which is when her skill set advanced dramatically. She then played on the academy team with the most talented players across multiple age groups.
“I feel like this is where my development really improved because I was playing against the best players in the club that were years older than me. It was a super competitive environment,” Monahan said. “Playing with those types of players made me realize how much work I had to put in and I took myself a lot more seriously.”
In high school, Monahan attended Lauralton Hall in Milford, CT where she played on the varsity soccer team from her freshman year during the fall while also playing on club teams during the spring. During her junior year, she was invited to the ECNL Player Development Program Training Camp and was selected as the 2017 ECNL Player to Watch while simultaneously setting Lauralton Hall’s record with 80 career goals.
“I always knew I wanted to play Division I soccer. It has been my goal since I was very young,” Monahan said.
Monahan attended a camp at the College of William and Mary during the spring of her junior year. The day after the camp, the coach at the time, John Daly, offered her a spot on the team to which she immediately accepted.
“I just loved it and me and him had such a great connection so I accepted the offer right then and there. And the school is beautiful,” Monahan said. “I had actually been there a few times already because my older sister was looking to play field hockey there. I had driven down there with her for her camps and I loved it.”
Monahan was committed to William and Mary for the entirety of her senior season- the same time her soccer career came to an abrupt halt. During a quarterfinal state qualifying match, Monahan broke away from her defender looking to score when the goalkeeper came out of the box and extended her leg blocking the shot snapping Monahan’s tibia and fibula. She had 79 career goals at the time and was determined to make 80 in what was her last high school soccer match. Monahan scored on the play, hitting 80 career goals and winning the game 1-0 for her team.
“It was just me and the keeper. I knew it was going to be an easy goal for me because I had done it a million times,” Monahan said. “After it happened, when my coach came over to me the first thing I asked him was if I scored. He thought I was crazy.”
Monahan was in the hospital for four days after the accident. She couldn’t run for six months and visited countless doctors who told her she’d never play soccer again. There was even concern about having her leg amputated. However, Monahan never lost sight of her dream. “There was never a doubt in my mind throughout my entire recovery that I would play college soccer,” she said.
In the surgery to repair her bones, doctors placed a metal rod in her leg that she’s had to adapt to. The entire recovery process impacted her not only physically but mentally as well.
“Mentally it’s still a challenge. I’m a completely different player now. I used to use my speed really well, but in my head I had doubted how fast I would be,” Monahan said. “It’s just tough knowing that your game has changed. But I think I’m more of a tactical player now and the way I read the game is so different.”
During her first season with the Tribe, Monahan didn’t feel like she was at the place she needed to be to compete so she made the decision to take her red-shirt year. “All of my teammates were so supportive of me when I got here especially because a lot of them have gone through injuries themselves,” she said.
Monahan scored her first collegiate goal in a match against James Madison University this season- her first goal since coming back from her major career ending injury.
“As the season progressed I was getting more confident and had been seeing the field a lot more. I had been getting really close for a while so I was constantly getting hungrier for a goal,” Monahan said. “I forgot how much I loved the feeling of scoring a goal. It was so special.”
Playing division I soccer has been a dream of Monahan’s since she was eight years old and her passion for the sport has never dwindled.
“All of the sacrifices I’ve had to make don’t feel like sacrifices to me and I’m pretty lucky to say that,” Monahan said. “Soccer is my life and I just love playing everyday. If you’re not having fun then why are you doing it?”
Monahan recalls how after scoring her first goal, her mom sent her a video of the goal on TV and she could hear her crying in the background.
“It was so cute. Both my parents have seen me at my worst especially after my injury because I struggled so much. They were so supportive and encouraging all the time,” Monahan said. “They mean the world to me and I wouldn’t be where I am without them.”
