Scooter repair was one of the early Real World Wednesday teaching opportunities for the Gators. Real World Wednesdays helped the team learn or build on life skills they can use off of the soccer field.
Life Skills Focus for Gators Real World Wednesdays
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Soccer
The focus of Real World Wednesday is to build the Gators' life skills.
Creativity is part of soccer player's skill set.
On the pitch, they look for angles and opportunities to get the ball past the goalkeeper. They see the field in front of them and anticipate their teammate's movements and cuts, weighing their options. And they do this on their own, as timeouts to draw up a play is not part the match flow.
Timeouts, though, can be learning and planning experience. A program implemented this spring season is aiding the Gators, developing life-skills they can use every day.
This is a timeout to build the person.
Over this spring season, the Gators have been participating Real World Wednesdays, where the team learns or builds on life skills they can use off of the soccer field. The events were in coordination with the Student-Athlete Enhancement program.
"We do it because for our program, growth is a big core-value for us," coach Becky Burleigh said. "And we look at that in terms as personal growth, development and growth as a player."
Over the course of Real World Wednesdays, the team covered a variety of topics, including financial literacy, a safety talk with a local police officer, bystander awareness, etiquette, a social media discussion and its impact on mental health, having to deal with difficult or confrontational conversations, volunteering in the community and basic scooter maintenance or changing a vehicle's tire.
Some of the skills have already come in handy for the Gators.
Rising junior Carina Baltrip-Reyes put the scooter maintenance teachings in play.
"My scooter was actually having some problems," she said. "So I took my battery out, I charged it, and then it was running smooth."
The etiquette dinner also helped junior Sammie Betters brush up on her interviewing skills as she pursues engineering internships.
"I was recently doing some interviews for opportunities over the summer. I kept in mind the general etiquette as in how to talk to people and how to have professional conversations," she said. "I definitely used those pointers during the interviews."
Another skill that also stuck with her is how to change a tire and what to do in a similar emergency situation.
"It's always nice, as a female especially, to know that if you get in a situation like that you're not going to be stranded or stuck there," she said.
The players think it was a worthwhile hour each week of the off-season and are hoping that Real World Wednesday is back next spring.
"Real World Wednesday taught us that being the best person can also help us be our best players, too," Loferski said.
On the pitch, they look for angles and opportunities to get the ball past the goalkeeper. They see the field in front of them and anticipate their teammate's movements and cuts, weighing their options. And they do this on their own, as timeouts to draw up a play is not part the match flow.
Timeouts, though, can be learning and planning experience. A program implemented this spring season is aiding the Gators, developing life-skills they can use every day.
This is a timeout to build the person.
Over this spring season, the Gators have been participating Real World Wednesdays, where the team learns or builds on life skills they can use off of the soccer field. The events were in coordination with the Student-Athlete Enhancement program.
"We do it because for our program, growth is a big core-value for us," coach Becky Burleigh said. "And we look at that in terms as personal growth, development and growth as a player."
The idea for Real World Wednesday's came from Program Coordinator Shelley Lyle, who specialized her academic degree in player development.Practicing our elevator pitch and small talk (a lost art). #RealWorldWednesdays pic.twitter.com/xg2B7hcO1A
— Becky Burleigh (@BeckyBurleigh) March 21, 2019
Over the course of Real World Wednesdays, the team covered a variety of topics, including financial literacy, a safety talk with a local police officer, bystander awareness, etiquette, a social media discussion and its impact on mental health, having to deal with difficult or confrontational conversations, volunteering in the community and basic scooter maintenance or changing a vehicle's tire.
"I think the biggest thing to take from any of this is just that we are people before players and we have a bigger impact than any of us can really understand," junior Kit Loferski said. "We have the ability to really change the community.".@GatorsSoccer and @GatorsGolf practicing our #FierceConversation skills on #RealWorldWednesdays. pic.twitter.com/gOxWbPhbCL
— Becky Burleigh (@BeckyBurleigh) March 14, 2019
Some of the skills have already come in handy for the Gators.
Rising junior Carina Baltrip-Reyes put the scooter maintenance teachings in play.
"My scooter was actually having some problems," she said. "So I took my battery out, I charged it, and then it was running smooth."
The etiquette dinner also helped junior Sammie Betters brush up on her interviewing skills as she pursues engineering internships.
"I was recently doing some interviews for opportunities over the summer. I kept in mind the general etiquette as in how to talk to people and how to have professional conversations," she said. "I definitely used those pointers during the interviews."
Another skill that also stuck with her is how to change a tire and what to do in a similar emergency situation.
"It's always nice, as a female especially, to know that if you get in a situation like that you're not going to be stranded or stuck there," she said.
Spring season is traditionally a time when Gator soccer players are exposed to different off-field activities, with such activities as dance and hot yoga in the past. This year was the first time the team had a structured off-season program like Real World Wednesday, which was a pilot program.Do you know how to jump a car, change a tire or maintain your scooter? @GatorsSoccer does! #RealWorldWednesdays pic.twitter.com/IzR3pKGwMw
— Becky Burleigh (@BeckyBurleigh) February 6, 2019
The players think it was a worthwhile hour each week of the off-season and are hoping that Real World Wednesday is back next spring.
"Real World Wednesday taught us that being the best person can also help us be our best players, too," Loferski said.
Players Mentioned
Nick Zimmerman Post Spring Match 4-11-26
Saturday, April 11
Kyra Taylor - 4-11-2026
Saturday, April 11
Sophia Sindelar 4-11-2026
Saturday, April 11
Abby Gemma - pre USA Camp 260328
Tuesday, March 31
