Bernie Fratto

Speaking
of
Sports 

by
Bernie 
Fratto

 
To the top of the hill - No weak sisters here…

10/30/06

Several months ago, we profiled Novi Senior Twins Katie and Kellie Walker during their quest to help Novi Soccer capture another State Championship.

A lot has happened in six months. They have moved onto college where they now matriculate at Western Kentucky University. As freshman members of the soccer team, they have successfully made the transition to Division I soccer.

And if you don’t think Western Kentucky is legit because it doesn’t sound sexy enough to you, then you don’t know what you’re talking about. In the tough Sun Belt Conference, the Lady Hilltoppers sport a 7-3 record, and they are currently 11-6 overall. Women’s college soccer is not like football, there is much more parity. Simply put, they can play with anybody. Most programs feature top flight athletes that will line up and knock your teeth in regardless of the name on your jersey. In football, programs like Michigan State beat schools from the MAC. But in soccer, CMU beat MSU, because in truth, they were the better team.

So when you head off to Western Kentucky, you’re not only graduating to a much higher level of soccer, you’re moving out of your comfort zone and away from home. Add to that the rigors of a college curriculum and it’s quite an adjustment, believe me I know.

Katie and Kellie Walker have not only shown up to play, they’ve taken up residence. Kellie has started 12 of 17 games and currently has 5 goals and 5 assists. Meanwhile Katie Walker has also started 5 games and has seen plenty of action as well.

Tip of the cap to the Walker twins. Many area kids have attempted to move onto the next level in the belief their HS stardom would give them carte blanche to make a name for themselves. The vast majority threw in the towel, typically blaming somebody else for their shortcomings.

The Walker twins have not only made the adjustment to the next level on the field, they’ve successfully made the adjustment to the next level in life.

No weak sisters here…

(c) 2006 Novi Information Network
www.novi.org

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Bernie Fratto is a freelance writer, radio personality, and motivational speaker.  His passion for sports comes in part from his experience as a former Cincinnati Red farm- hand.  "Behind every sports story lies the hearts and minds of real human beings" said Fratto.  "These athletic endeavors often serve as a metaphor for the game we call life."

Bernie is also on the broadcast team at Live 97.1FM talk-radio, and is a frequent co-host on the popular "Parker & The Man Show," a nightly sportstalk show which airs Monday-Friday from 7-11pm.