June 2, 2025 • 33 mins
What does it take to compete at the Division I level as a freshman goalkeeper? Beyond raw talent and technical skill, it demands extraordinary mental fortitude—something Mikayla McPheron demonstrated when she played half a season with a broken hand that nobody, not even her family, knew about.
In this revealing conversation, Mikayla takes us through her remarkable first year at Lemoyne College where she set a school record with 16 saves in a single game against Stony Brook. The physical demands of collegiate athletics hit her immediately: "There were games that I just had ice bags all over my body. My trainer would always joke with me because after every game I'd come in there and I'd walk out with like two to three ice bags." Yet despite this punishing routine, she persevered through an injury that would have sidelined most athletes.
The most profound challenges came during her seven-month recovery period when she couldn't fully participate with her team. This forced hiatus taught her invaluable lessons about patience and perspective: "Recovery is the most important thing and if I recover now, I'm not going to have these problems in the future." For young athletes facing setbacks, Mikayla offers straightforward advice: "Stay on your own path. You are your biggest enemy in your head... use your support system."
Beyond athletic performance, Mikayla discusses balancing academics with the rigorous demands of being a Division I athlete, noting how the first semester required significant adjustment to develop effective study habits while managing travel, practices, and games. Her story serves as both inspiration and practical guide for aspiring collegiate athletes navigating their own journeys.
Have a young athlete with big dreams? Share this episode with them and join the conversation about what it truly takes to compete at the highest collegiate levels!
Thank you for listening!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Rocky (00:33):
The Good evening everybody.
Welcome to another edition hereon the Rock Pile Tonight.
The Rock Pile Tonight bringsyou episode number four of the
Beyond the Game podcast, wheretonight I bring on a special
guest of mine, my niece MikaylaMcPheron.
She was the standout goalie,freshman goalie for the Lemoyne
Dolphins, so we'll talk to herin just a little bit.
(00:54):
If you're following me onFacebook, you're following me on
YouTube.
Make sure to hit the subscribebutton.
If you have any questions forMikayla tonight or for myself,
just put them in the comment boxand I'll try to pull as many
over as I can here this morning.
I'll let you know.
This weekend, on the MohawkValley Sports Watch, it looks
like we are going to do a showon Sunday morning.
I will be doing a show onThursday night.
(01:15):
I'll be talking with RFAsoftball coach coming off fresh
a Section 3 title yesterday, soI will talk to coach on Thursday
night.
I'll post that.
Uh, and much more.
So, without further ado, thisis the reschedule.
We were trying to do this thelast time, but unfortunately my
son's baseball game went muchlonger than I anticipated, so we
(01:36):
had to reschedule the show.
So, without further ado, okay,let me uh, switch our screens
here, so we look nice and prettytonight.
Mikayla (01:46):
All righty.
Rocky (01:47):
Get you on here.
How are you?
Mikayla (01:51):
I'm good.
How are you?
Rocky (01:53):
Well, I'm really excited because you have no idea what
I'm going to ask you tonight.
Mikayla (01:58):
No, I do not.
Rocky (01:59):
And I think the best part about it is the last time I had
you on.
I think it was when you madeyour commitment to attend Le
Moyne.
We talked a little bit aboutthat.
I think you're going to be areally good guest.
For any young athlete that'slistening to tonight's show, I
think you'll have a lot of goodmessages on some of the health
(02:21):
issues that you had battling aninjury through the season.
We'll get to that and much more.
But I want to start with so youguys finished up your season
this year.
I think you guys were 2-15-2,and I think you guys are 1-7-2
in the league, which the seasondidn't go as planned for you
guys.
But where I wanted to startwith you tonight is take us back
(02:44):
to the moment when you andagain we had you on here when it
was the rock pile when youtalked about your commitment to
play soccer at Le Moyne.
So I kind of want to go back intime and I want to ask you when
you made the commitment to playsoccer at Le Moyne at the
Division I level, would thatmean to you?
Mikayla (03:03):
It meant a lot for me.
I always wanted to go big insoccer but honestly, I wasn't
really looking at division oneswhen I was going um for my
search for colleges.
I just didn't really know, likewhat to expect.
And then I had a lots and lotsof long talks with my mom about
her division one, um, andobviously your division one
(03:26):
career, and I think I was like Irealized just how much soccer
meant to me.
So, yeah, and I'm so glad Imade that decision to go to
division one because it's beenamazing and I just love soccer,
so yep.
Rocky (03:44):
And Kay talk to us a little bit too, because I think
for a lot of high schoolathletes that are out there, you
know you have Division I, youhave Division II, you have
Division III, and I always tellthe young athletes today is, if
you're lucky enough to play evenat a Division III level because
Division III levels for anysport is really good competition
, let alone at the Division Ilevel.
(04:08):
So I think my message has alwaysbeen there's very few that can
play at the Division I level andthere's different types of
Division I.
Right, a lot of people thinkyou've got the Ohio State,
you've got the Michigans andthen you've got that level,
division I, and then you've gota program like yourself, where
know, lemoyne's just making thattransition so they may not have
(04:30):
the nil money that some of theother colleges may have um
facilities and all that.
But when you made that decision, I know you you always talk
about and we joke with you aboutthe transfer portal, uh, and
all that.
But you also like lemoynebecause you like the transfer
portal, uh and all that.
But you also like LeMoynebecause you like the school, but
you like being close to home,right, being able to come and go
as you please and coming tovisit the family, and all that.
(04:51):
How much did that factor in?
Mikayla (04:55):
it actually had a huge impact on my decision to go to
LeMoyne.
I mean, obviously, like yousaid, lem Moyne is like a lower
end division one, but I meanit's still division one and I
think the being close to familywas super important, because I
always love when my parents areat my games and when I have my
(05:16):
home games it's only 45 to 50minutes away, so you guys were
all able to come and it justreally helps being like it
helped the transition to being adivision one athlete and just
having that support was myeverything.
Rocky (05:31):
Um, so yeah, it had a huge impact what were some of
the toughest parts for you?
You know again transitioningfrom the high school game and I
want to talk about the gamefirst, but not just the
physicality on your body as agoalie but what were some of the
biggest transition from playinghigh school soccer to the
college level?
Mikayla (05:52):
The competition I mean we faced.
We played against Maine, stonyBrook, binghamton.
I mean there's really nocomparison.
I did get a lot of shots duringmy senior year but just the
caliber of the athletes thatwere on all the teams that we
played, it's just such a bigdifference.
(06:15):
It took me a bit of adjustingand practicing and again the
support of my family, it, but Imean it's.
It's really crazy just how bigthe difference is.
Rocky (06:28):
Now, how about the physical part for you on your
body I mean, being a goalie isis is physical in itself and you
battle through injuries, andwe'll get into that here in just
a little bit.
But was there a huge differencefrom a physicality standpoint
for you on on the types of shotsyou face?
Obviously, the shots probablywere a lot more harder, faster
coming at you, but what was thatlike?
Mikayla (06:51):
It was again like very different.
There was games that I justlike had ice bags all over my
body.
My trainer would always jokewith me because after every game
I'd come in there and I'd walkout with like two to three ice
bags on my body because of how Ifaced a ton of shots during the
(07:12):
season and yeah, like theplayers are very physical and
stuff like that.
So I definitely took a toll onmy body, but it was.
I wouldn't trade it for theworld, it was.
It was really fun.
Rocky (07:27):
So how do you adjust too?
Because in high school you playX amount of games and then you
transition over to the collegelevel too right, I think you
play more games in college thanyou do in high school and you've
got to try to I hate to sayyou've got to try to rest your
body.
But again, your body is goingthrough a much different type of
schedule than what you wentthrough in high school.
Talk to us a little bit aboutthe schedule compared to what it
(07:49):
was playing at the high schoollevel so it it was pretty
different.
Mikayla (07:54):
I mean, our summer was obviously my summer started.
My summer got cut very shortbecause of our preseason and we
were into doubles and stuff likethat.
But I mean we had games twice aweek and those games were
pretty tough.
The coaches if I had a hardgame, the coaches were pretty
(08:15):
lenient and the trainers to likepull me for a practice and just
like kind of relax my bodybecause of how physical it got.
But yeah, I would definitelysay it's a big difference.
We, you know, practice for twohours and we had lift and all
this stuff.
Rocky (08:33):
But yeah, so let's talk about, let's jump right in this.
You had the Stony Brook gamewhere I think you had 16 saves
and you set the single gameschool record for saves in a
game with 16.
Now, I don't know much aboutsoccer I'm still kind of
learning this thing as Madison'splaying but I know that 16
saves is a lot and for a teamlike yourself where you faced so
(08:58):
many shots in that game.
When during that game did itclick that you had a lot of
saves and, um, like, what was,what was your mindset at that?
At one point in the in thatgame did you say to yourself
geez, I must have a lot of savesin this game.
I've taken so many.
Now I know you guys that winthe game.
Um, but what, what was thatlike?
(09:19):
And did you know?
Did you know at some point inthat game where you were setting
a school record?
Mikayla (09:25):
Honestly, probably the first five to ten minutes of
that game was just straightshots on me and I think that's
where I racked up most of mysaves and I just remember being
like, wow, I mean it was shotafter shot, like I'd save the
(09:45):
ball, punt it up the field, comeback down, save the ball repeat
cycle for maybe like five to 10minutes straight and I didn't
really, I didn't really expectthat I was going to break a
record.
Like I was just kind of like, oh, this is a lot of shots and you
know.
And then it wasn't until, likethe bus ride home I had saw that
(10:05):
I actually broke a record.
I'm like, okay, that kind ofmakes sense because of just how
many shots I faced and I meanthe first.
I will never forget the firstfive to 10 minutes.
I think I was just like it wascrazy, like shot after shot and
as much as I remember it, Ithink I kind of and it went into
(10:26):
like a just a day and I wasjust like everywhere, all over
my 18 yard box and again like Iwasn't really expecting to have
as many saves as I had, if thatmakes any sense.
Rocky (10:39):
Yep.
So okay, take me back to, so,your first official game.
In that, like what were youthinking?
Like, what was the mindset?
Mindset, I mean, I remember myfirst game when I stepped on the
, on the football field, and youlook around and say, geez, I'm
actually, you know, out here andyou know, playing a college
sport.
Mikayla (10:59):
But like, what was it like for you when you, when you
stepped in your first game, didit click to you saying, geez,
I'm actually starting for adivision, one team yeah, when I
found out I was starting, Iactually called my mom and I was
like I'm starting and I waslike really emotional because it
was like I had worked so hardbut like I had finally saw the
(11:19):
results and stuff.
And when I stepped in that andthe whistle blew to the start of
the first half, I definitelywas freaking out a little bit
and I think that's why I mean,my first game was against Maine.
My first ever division one gamewas against Maine of all teams
and it was.
It was just such a surrealfeeling, like I'm actually
(11:43):
playing, I'm starting at thedivision one level, like it was.
It was really cool, it was areally cool experience and I
will never forget that game.
Rocky (11:53):
So, kay, not many people know you played half the season
with a broken hand, right?
So how, how?
Number one, how did you do it?
And then number two was youknow mentally for you because
again I'm just going to give youmy own take here as a college
(12:16):
athlete, even in high school,like, if you get injured,
somebody else has to play foryou.
Like, if you're out and I wasalways under that mindset was if
I came off the field and I wasinjured and somebody came in for
me and they played really well,as a coach, decisions gotta be
well.
You know the person I'm puttingin for the person that got hurt
is playing really well.
I can't really make that change.
Did that ever cross your mindto where, if you were hurt which
you can't control, you come outof the game and the person
(12:39):
behind you steps in plays well,that you could have lost your
spot?
Like what was your mindset?
Mikayla (12:44):
It definitely.
I mean it definitely crossed mymind.
I mean I didn't know that itwas broken the entire time so I
just kept playing and I think,like the, the pain never really
stopped me because again, I waslike I'm in this moment, right
now, I have this opportunity,it's I can handle the pain for
right now and but I mean itdefinitely crossed my head and
(13:08):
you know it's.
But I definitely I don't Idon't know it was.
It was I definitely had to workextra hard in practices and
stuff to, I mean, prove that Iwas okay.
Rocky (13:21):
But yeah, so how'd you do it?
Do you remember the exact playyou did and what team it was
against?
Mikayla (13:27):
Um, so I actually broke it in a practice I it was the
game before there's, thepractice before binghamton and
it was.
We were just going over likepassing sequences with the
forwards and stuff and it was a1v1 and my hand kind of went
back in like to the side alittle bit and I was like, oh,
(13:48):
that kind of hurt.
So I got taped, thought it wasfine, because I've I've sprained
my wrist many of times and itkind of felt like that at first.
So I taped it up and then Ijust kept playing on it.
Rocky (13:59):
But yeah, so, okay, most athletes I mean I mean some
people deal with pain a littlebit differently, and obviously
you, your your pain tolerance ispretty high.
But you could have shut it down, right.
You could have came out andsaid my wrist hurts, my hand
hurts, I don't know if I can goback in um.
Was there ever a moment in timewhen you thought you couldn't
keep playing, that you're gonnahave to tap out?
Mikayla (14:21):
there was definitely some moments where I was like I
remember a practice in specificand we were doing shooting drill
.
We were doing a shooting drilland I had to step off to the
side and kind of like have mymoment and like this is really
painful.
But I got ice afterwards and itkind of subsided it and but I
(14:42):
never really had the thoughtthat like oh, like this is an
actual problem, like I knew itwas worse than what I was being
told, but I was like I'm gonnakeep playing, I need to keep
playing and in games I didn'treally notice it a lot so I
thought that that was like fine,so I just kept taping it, I
(15:03):
iced it constantly and just keptchecking in with my trainer, do
the best that I could, but I Inever to that point where I was
like this hurts extra bad, thatI need to like sit out.
So I don't know if that's agood thing or a bad thing.
Rocky (15:22):
Yeah, no, and I think what's always tough, too, is so
I mean, I, I I bailed it justabout.
I had a horrible, unfortunateevents where every year in
college I missed spring ball dueto injuries and it was really
hard to sit out and watch.
And I know in your case youmissed some of the winter
workouts, right, you missedspring workouts and you just
recently got cleared back andnow you're playing soccer over
(15:44):
the summer.
But what was it like for you tosit back and have to watch you,
you know, and you couldn't workout.
I know you're a workout freakand you like to work out, but
what was that like for youhaving to sit out?
Mikayla (15:56):
It was honestly one of the hardest things I've ever
done, because I've never sat outfor that long.
I mean, I broke my collarbone avery long time ago but I've met
.
That was only like three months, four months, I think.
I sat out for a total of likeseven months and it was honestly
really hard.
But the good thing with myinjury obviously, since it's my
(16:19):
hand, I still joined in with therunning workouts.
We did Um, I lifted with theteam, but I just did like one
arm stuff or if I would squat mymy my lifting coach was really
good and like made adjustmentsfor me.
I tried to do the most that Icould without obviously further
(16:40):
injuring myself and not using myleft hand at all, and that
definitely helped.
But it was always.
The hardest thing was I want toget back to being in that.
I want to be back.
But I just had to keepreminding myself that recovery
is the most important thing andif I recover now, I'm not going
to have these problems in the in, in the past or in the future.
(17:01):
And yeah, but it was definitelyhard.
There was a time where Icouldn't work out at all and
that was tough, but again, Ijust had to keep looking towards
the future and seeing that I'mgoing to be good enough to play
and I just needed to be patient.
Rocky (17:24):
How was your teammates with you throughout the whole
time?
Did any of your teammates kindof keep pushing you along and
encourage you, saying hang inthere and things are going to
get better.
Mikayla (17:36):
How was your teammates towards you throughout the whole
time that any of your teammateskind of you know keep pushing
you along and encourage you,saying hang in there, and you
know things are going to getbetter.
How was your teammates towardsyou?
Yeah, my teammates were awesome.
I mean they when I couldn't umlift and run and I would sit on.
I would still go to practicesand sit on the side and you know
, cheer them on and stuff andand my teammates would.
There was this one time myteammate came over and was like
you just look so sad at theworkouts, but you're doing great
(17:56):
.
Like I know you're gonna getback stronger and better than
you ever were, and it was justlike they were awesome.
They were definitely helped inthe process of um, keeping my
mindset positive and hopefultowards the future, but they
were awesome.
Rocky (18:14):
Yeah, I think every athlete, when you go through an
injury, I mean you see it in theprofessional side of sports too
, in colleges, that I thinkathletes come back stronger than
what they were.
You know the first time beforethe injury and I know you came
in in great shape.
You know for preseason and youknow you worked your butt off to
get a starting spot.
But would you learn aboutyourself?
You know, sitting out youprobably had a lot of time to
(18:35):
sit back and think and reflecton everything.
Would you learn about yourselfthrough that whole time?
Mikayla (18:44):
I honestly that I learned a lot about myself, like
you said.
But it was like realizing justhow important soccer was to
never take any game for granted,like any practice, even any
lift, like there could be a timejust like walking down my
(19:06):
stairs and fall.
And I took all that before forgranted and but I mean I feel
like we just had like play everygame like it's your last and
stuff, but it, it was definitelyit.
It helped me realize just howimportant soccer was.
Rocky (19:31):
So, kay, when you look back now because obviously your
freshman year is over and youhad a great academic, you did
very well in school, which isthe most important thing, but
when you look back now on yourfreshman year, what did you
learn about the journey you wentthrough and was there anything
you might have done differently?
Mikayla (19:48):
when you look back on it now, I don't really think I
would do anything differently.
I was I made sure to stayconsistent in my workouts.
When I could work out duringwinter I stayed supportive to,
you know, like the other goaliesand my team, and helped out.
And the only thing maybe Iwould have done differently in
(20:13):
the academic aspect is maybepaid more attention like figured
out more like study habits inmy freshman year, in my first
semester, because it wasdefinitely it was definitely
tough, you know, like travelingand practices and games in your
first semester of college.
It was definitely tough, but Ithink that helped me progress
(20:39):
for second semester, if thatmakes any sense, yeah.
Rocky (20:46):
And Kay, how about for the team?
Because I know you guys didn'thave the greatest of seasons in
your first year.
But as your team transitions tothe Division I level, it may
take two or three years beforeyou guys start trending in the
right direction.
But how tough was it for you toreally come in year one where
your team really didn't have alot of success at all and the
(21:08):
games that you played in wereagainst the best teams you know
in the league.
Mikayla (21:11):
But how tough was it for you to come in um, you know
your first year where a team wasbasically on a rebuilding, just
making that transition it waspretty tough with the amount of
shots I got, but it always likewhat I always thought about was
I'm I want to help, help thisteam get to and you know,
(21:34):
progress, um, but I mean I was,I'm also adjusting to vision.
One level, obviously, being afreshman, being a freshman my
first year.
But, um, yeah, I think we'regonna make pretty big
improvements.
I mean, we're only second,going into our third year
(21:56):
possibly.
Rocky (21:57):
Yeah, it's definitely tough, but Okay, what would be
some of the goals you know youhave for yourself coming into
this season?
You know both individually andthen as far as team goals, what
would be some of those you haveset for yourself and for the
team?
Mikayla (22:16):
For myself, I would say , just to be be honest with my
body, like my wrist reallyreally hurts then to you know,
communicate that.
But, um, yeah, for a team Iwould say just like, keep being
positive and stuff like that.
Um, we really struggled withscoring this year, so I would
(22:41):
definitely say like scoring moregoals or just having more
opportunities in the offense.
But yeah, that's pretty much it.
Rocky (22:51):
Okay, obviously, you know I always I've talked to you,
know I always I've talked to youknow young athletes like
yourself, high school athletes,college professional athletes
and I always like to ask thequestion is you know, for young
athletes listening tonight orwe'll listen on the replay when
we finish up what would be someof the advices, the advice you
would give those athletes thatare facing adversity, and
(23:12):
whether it's an injury like youbattled through, and whether
it's self-doubt, whether it'spressure and obviously at that
level or any level, the pressurethat young athletes face today
and with the state of mentalhealth today in sports, what
advice would you give the youngathletes?
Mikayla (23:31):
I would just say to stay on your own path you are
your biggest like enemy in thehead and just to keep pushing
yourself, use your supportsystem, I would say is the most
important thing.
With injury, I would definitely, definitely just look towards
the future.
Recovery is the most importantthing.
(23:54):
Just be patient.
My mom was always, alwaystelling me I just need to be
patient and I'll be back in thenet.
Um, but yeah, just keepencouraging yourself and don't
be so hard on yourself.
Um, you know you're doingwhat's best for you.
You're pushing yourself, Um,but never, never, self doubt
(24:17):
yourself.
Um, but yeah.
Rocky (24:21):
I think I think what's really cool is, I think, now
that you come back and you knowyou, you have a year under your
belt, I know you're doing a lotof uh, you stuff, you, you do
some goalkeeper with, training,with with young kids how much
does that mean to you?
You know, here I am at 45 yearsold and and I feel like I I
like to give back, we want togive back.
(24:42):
But what's that mean to you,now that you're now coaching and
mentoring, uh, being a mentorto some of these young athletes,
and now you're training?
Mikayla (24:53):
It's honestly my favorite thing.
I love it so much.
I love just giving back toyouth because obviously they're
going to be pursuing stuff, butI think it really helps a lot
with me mentally and stuff andit's like I'm helping, helping
(25:13):
these younger athletes and Ithink they really enjoy it too.
Um, but yeah, it's definitelymy favorite.
I love it so much, um, justgiving back and using all my
knowledge that I've grownthroughout all the years with
all my amazing goalie coachesand just like projecting that
onto younger athletes tohopefully help them, you know,
(25:37):
reach their goals and stuff, andI think it's really amazing
okay, what?
Rocky (25:42):
what's something that people may not know about you
off the field?
We know you're a competitor onthe field, but what's something
that people may not know aboutyou off the field?
Mikayla (25:53):
Off the field?
I'm not really sure.
I mean, all I really do is likeI really enjoy spending my time
working out.
I mean I've been getting in thegym a lot more.
I've been going to the fieldand doing practicing my goal
kicks and punts.
Yeah, I don't really know.
(26:15):
To be honest, it's a hardquestion.
Rocky (26:17):
I had to stump you a little bit.
How about Dolphy Day?
Tell us about Dolphy Day.
How was it?
I know it was always breakingyour chops on it.
I was there many years ago withStatman at Le Moyne.
But how was Dolphy Day?
Was it everything that peoplesay it is?
Mikayla (26:32):
Dolphy Day is pretty amazing.
If you're choosing between LeMoyne and another school, make
Dolphy Day the reason you cometo Le Moyne.
It's really fun, it's great.
The teachers are, so they'repretty lenient, obviously,
because it's like it's DolphyDay, like you're not, you're not
gonna have kids in class.
Um, it was just so fun and thevibes of campus that day were oh
(26:57):
my god, it was so it was.
It was really great to seeeverybody come together and just
have fun.
The food's pretty good and justlike again the atmosphere.
It was a beautiful day too.
It was like perfect weather.
But yeah, dolphy Day isdefinitely worth.
If you're coming to Le Moyne,be ready for Dolphy day.
Rocky (27:14):
Okay, toughest course.
You took theology.
Mikayla (27:19):
It have to be the theology or um my psychology,
brain and behavior.
Rocky (27:28):
Psychology, brain and behavior.
Mikayla (27:30):
Yes, psychology, brain and behavior.
Rocky (27:32):
Yes.
Mikayla (27:33):
Ooh, and that was.
Rocky (27:34):
I took that one during my first semester and I'm pretty
sure it was hey, maddie Want tosay hi to Kay.
Kay, she wants to say hi to you.
Yeah, hi, maddie, hi Anothernumberdie Hi, another number 33.
Mikayla (27:57):
Yeah, future forward.
Not a goalie Kidding, I don'tknow how you did.
Did you win?
Rocky (28:07):
your game.
Mikayla (28:08):
Did you have a game?
Yeah, we had two, but we lostgoals, that's okay, you win some
, you lose some.
Do you have a game?
Yeah, we had two, but we lostgoals.
That's okay.
You win some, you lose some.
Did you score any goals?
Yeah?
Rocky (28:25):
Good, she wanted to say hi to you.
They were just getting home soI wanted her to jump on.
So last question I got for you,kay, and I know what the answer
is going to be here, but I'mgoing to ask you anyways biggest
supporters for you throughtough times, the good times um,
I know what your answer is goingto be, but gotta ask the
(28:46):
question because we all gothrough tough times and I think
that's the fun part of me doingthis show behind, beyond the
game, is because there's more.
There's more to life than justsports.
Right, there's different thingsthat we face and in your case,
you faced a significant injurywhere you were fortunate enough
to find a way to get through theseason and then you had to sit
out and now you're coming backbetter than ever, and through
(29:06):
those times you got to havepeople around you, a good
support system.
So who's that support systemfor you?
Mikayla (29:11):
I mean obviously my family.
Do I have to pick one inspecific?
Rocky (29:17):
no, you don't, that's I.
I knew that was the answer itwas.
I knew that was the answer wasan obvious question.
Uh, for me, but I think, ineven when you, you know, you get
out of sports and you still gotto have that support system,
because there's never there'sgoing to be tough days, good
days.
Mikayla (29:31):
So I, I knew what the answer was going to be, so, um,
but I figured I'd still ask youso yeah, I mean I could, I could
, I could point out my mom,because she was my workout buddy
when I had one arm to work outwith and she always annoyed me
about just being patient throughmy injury.
But yeah, everybody just was agreat help and made me remind
(29:56):
myself that I just need to bepatient so off season you're
playing soccer.
Rocky (30:00):
Now, right, you're playing some summer soccer, and
then when you have to reportback to school, you guys start
earlier this year.
Mikayla (30:06):
July 27th okay which isn't too bad.
I mean, it's two days earlierthan last year, but the
following year it's going to beeven earlier than July 27th.
Rocky (30:20):
Yeah, you said that'll be a lot earlier, right?
I think it was two weeksearlier, something like that,
right, yeah?
Mikayla (30:26):
It's like mid-July.
Oh my goodness.
Rocky (30:30):
So that'll be fast.
Mikayla (30:32):
Yeah, I guess we'll see .
Rocky (30:34):
Okay, gonna.
I?
I said I was gonna go a halfhour with it.
I'm looking at my timer.
I was just a little over a halfhour, so perfect timing.
I'm glad we were finally ableto, uh, you know, touch base and
finally uh, make this thinghappen.
So I appreciate it and uh, asyou know, we're all proud of you
and we look forward to.
I got to come because I got somuch LeMoyne gear now I got so
(30:57):
many shirts and stuff to wear.
I got more LeMoyne gear than Igot anything else, so we'll be
ducking LeMoyne gear.
Aunt Lindsay bought us newchairs, so we're ready to go
come fall, I got new chairs, newchairs for the game.
So we'll be ready, but we'reproud of you, we love you and I
appreciate you jumping on.
Mikayla (31:16):
I appreciate you having me.
Rocky (31:18):
All right, kay, thank you .
Mikayla (31:20):
Thank you, bye-bye.
Rocky (31:23):
So that was my niece, michaela McFerrin, who jumped on
with me here tonight and I lovetalking to young athletes and
you know everybody has differentthings that they battle through
and hers was an injury that shefound a way to finish the
season off and nobody reallyknew she had a broken wrist.
I don't even think my sisterand our family knew she broke it
(31:43):
until you know the end of theseason.
But she found a way um greatsupport system.
She's got a great family behindher and I think that's what
that's.
What we all need is a greatsupport system.
She's got a great family behindher and I think that's what
that's.
What we all need is a greatsupport system and she had a
great year and she'll I knowshe'll be on the bigger and
better things in year two.
So I appreciate you tuning intonight.
Thursday night I'll post it.
I'll be doing an interviewtalking RFA softball as they're
(32:07):
fresh off a section three titleyesterday.
I don't know who they'replaying yet, but I believe they
are playing Friday.
I don't know who they'replaying yet, but I believe they
are playing Friday.
I don't know if they're playingout in Buffalo or they're
playing out in Binghamton.
I've heard a couple differentthings, but I'll talk to coach a
little bit more about that.
Sunday the Mohawk Valley SportsWatch will air.
We're going to shoot the airSunday morning but I'll confirm
(32:28):
that later on with the guys.
So again, I want to thankeverybody for tuning in here
tonight.
I want to thank my niece forjumping out with me tonight here
on the Beyond the Game podcast.
I always say here on theRockpile the Rockpile is where
dreams become reality.
Mikayla (32:41):
Have a good evening everybody.
The Good evening everybody.
Welcome to another edition hereon the Rock Pile Tonight.
The Rock Pile Tonight bringsyou episode number four of the
Beyond the Game podcast, wheretonight I bring on a special
guest of mine, my niece MikaylaMcPheron.
She was the standout goalie,freshman goalie for the Lemoyne
Dolphins, so we'll talk to herin just a little bit.
(00:54):
If you're following me onFacebook, you're following me on
YouTube.
Make sure to hit the subscribebutton.
If you have any questions forMikayla tonight or for myself,
just put them in the comment boxand I'll try to pull as many
over as I can here this morning.
I'll let you know.
This weekend, on the MohawkValley Sports Watch, it looks
like we are going to do a showon Sunday morning.
I will be doing a show onThursday night.
(01:15):
I'll be talking with RFAsoftball coach coming off fresh
a Section 3 title yesterday, soI will talk to coach on Thursday
night.
I'll post that.
Uh, and much more.
So, without further ado, thisis the reschedule.
We were trying to do this thelast time, but unfortunately my
son's baseball game went muchlonger than I anticipated, so we
(01:36):
had to reschedule the show.
So, without further ado, okay,let me uh, switch our screens
here, so we look nice and prettytonight.
Mikayla (01:46):
All righty.
Rocky (01:47):
Get you on here.
How are you?
Mikayla (01:51):
I'm good.
How are you?
Rocky (01:53):
Well, I'm really excited because you have no idea what
I'm going to ask you tonight.
Mikayla (01:58):
No, I do not.
Rocky (01:59):
And I think the best part about it is the last time I had
you on.
I think it was when you madeyour commitment to attend Le
Moyne.
We talked a little bit aboutthat.
I think you're going to be areally good guest.
For any young athlete that'slistening to tonight's show, I
think you'll have a lot of goodmessages on some of the health
(02:21):
issues that you had battling aninjury through the season.
We'll get to that and much more.
But I want to start with so youguys finished up your season
this year.
I think you guys were 2-15-2,and I think you guys are 1-7-2
in the league, which the seasondidn't go as planned for you
guys.
But where I wanted to startwith you tonight is take us back
(02:44):
to the moment when you andagain we had you on here when it
was the rock pile when youtalked about your commitment to
play soccer at Le Moyne.
So I kind of want to go back intime and I want to ask you when
you made the commitment to playsoccer at Le Moyne at the
Division I level, would thatmean to you?
Mikayla (03:03):
It meant a lot for me.
I always wanted to go big insoccer but honestly, I wasn't
really looking at division oneswhen I was going um for my
search for colleges.
I just didn't really know, likewhat to expect.
And then I had a lots and lotsof long talks with my mom about
her division one, um, andobviously your division one
(03:26):
career, and I think I was like Irealized just how much soccer
meant to me.
So, yeah, and I'm so glad Imade that decision to go to
division one because it's beenamazing and I just love soccer,
so yep.
Rocky (03:44):
And Kay talk to us a little bit too, because I think
for a lot of high schoolathletes that are out there, you
know you have Division I, youhave Division II, you have
Division III, and I always tellthe young athletes today is, if
you're lucky enough to play evenat a Division III level because
Division III levels for anysport is really good competition
, let alone at the Division Ilevel.
(04:08):
So I think my message has alwaysbeen there's very few that can
play at the Division I level andthere's different types of
Division I.
Right, a lot of people thinkyou've got the Ohio State,
you've got the Michigans andthen you've got that level,
division I, and then you've gota program like yourself, where
know, lemoyne's just making thattransition so they may not have
(04:30):
the nil money that some of theother colleges may have um
facilities and all that.
But when you made that decision, I know you you always talk
about and we joke with you aboutthe transfer portal, uh, and
all that.
But you also like lemoynebecause you like the transfer
portal, uh and all that.
But you also like LeMoynebecause you like the school, but
you like being close to home,right, being able to come and go
as you please and coming tovisit the family, and all that.
(04:51):
How much did that factor in?
Mikayla (04:55):
it actually had a huge impact on my decision to go to
LeMoyne.
I mean, obviously, like yousaid, lem Moyne is like a lower
end division one, but I meanit's still division one and I
think the being close to familywas super important, because I
always love when my parents areat my games and when I have my
(05:16):
home games it's only 45 to 50minutes away, so you guys were
all able to come and it justreally helps being like it
helped the transition to being adivision one athlete and just
having that support was myeverything.
Rocky (05:31):
Um, so yeah, it had a huge impact what were some of
the toughest parts for you?
You know again transitioningfrom the high school game and I
want to talk about the gamefirst, but not just the
physicality on your body as agoalie but what were some of the
biggest transition from playinghigh school soccer to the
college level?
Mikayla (05:52):
The competition I mean we faced.
We played against Maine, stonyBrook, binghamton.
I mean there's really nocomparison.
I did get a lot of shots duringmy senior year but just the
caliber of the athletes thatwere on all the teams that we
played, it's just such a bigdifference.
(06:15):
It took me a bit of adjustingand practicing and again the
support of my family, it, but Imean it's.
It's really crazy just how bigthe difference is.
Rocky (06:28):
Now, how about the physical part for you on your
body I mean, being a goalie isis is physical in itself and you
battle through injuries, andwe'll get into that here in just
a little bit.
But was there a huge differencefrom a physicality standpoint
for you on on the types of shotsyou face?
Obviously, the shots probablywere a lot more harder, faster
coming at you, but what was thatlike?
Mikayla (06:51):
It was again like very different.
There was games that I justlike had ice bags all over my
body.
My trainer would always jokewith me because after every game
I'd come in there and I'd walkout with like two to three ice
bags on my body because of how Ifaced a ton of shots during the
(07:12):
season and yeah, like theplayers are very physical and
stuff like that.
So I definitely took a toll onmy body, but it was.
I wouldn't trade it for theworld, it was.
It was really fun.
Rocky (07:27):
So how do you adjust too?
Because in high school you playX amount of games and then you
transition over to the collegelevel too right, I think you
play more games in college thanyou do in high school and you've
got to try to I hate to sayyou've got to try to rest your
body.
But again, your body is goingthrough a much different type of
schedule than what you wentthrough in high school.
Talk to us a little bit aboutthe schedule compared to what it
(07:49):
was playing at the high schoollevel so it it was pretty
different.
Mikayla (07:54):
I mean, our summer was obviously my summer started.
My summer got cut very shortbecause of our preseason and we
were into doubles and stuff likethat.
But I mean we had games twice aweek and those games were
pretty tough.
The coaches if I had a hardgame, the coaches were pretty
(08:15):
lenient and the trainers to likepull me for a practice and just
like kind of relax my bodybecause of how physical it got.
But yeah, I would definitelysay it's a big difference.
We, you know, practice for twohours and we had lift and all
this stuff.
Rocky (08:33):
But yeah, so let's talk about, let's jump right in this.
You had the Stony Brook gamewhere I think you had 16 saves
and you set the single gameschool record for saves in a
game with 16.
Now, I don't know much aboutsoccer I'm still kind of
learning this thing as Madison'splaying but I know that 16
saves is a lot and for a teamlike yourself where you faced so
(08:58):
many shots in that game.
When during that game did itclick that you had a lot of
saves and, um, like, what was,what was your mindset at that?
At one point in the in thatgame did you say to yourself
geez, I must have a lot of savesin this game.
I've taken so many.
Now I know you guys that winthe game.
Um, but what, what was thatlike?
(09:19):
And did you know?
Did you know at some point inthat game where you were setting
a school record?
Mikayla (09:25):
Honestly, probably the first five to ten minutes of
that game was just straightshots on me and I think that's
where I racked up most of mysaves and I just remember being
like, wow, I mean it was shotafter shot, like I'd save the
(09:45):
ball, punt it up the field, comeback down, save the ball repeat
cycle for maybe like five to 10minutes straight and I didn't
really, I didn't really expectthat I was going to break a
record.
Like I was just kind of like, oh, this is a lot of shots and you
know.
And then it wasn't until, likethe bus ride home I had saw that
(10:05):
I actually broke a record.
I'm like, okay, that kind ofmakes sense because of just how
many shots I faced and I meanthe first.
I will never forget the firstfive to 10 minutes.
I think I was just like it wascrazy, like shot after shot and
as much as I remember it, Ithink I kind of and it went into
(10:26):
like a just a day and I wasjust like everywhere, all over
my 18 yard box and again like Iwasn't really expecting to have
as many saves as I had, if thatmakes any sense.
Rocky (10:39):
Yep.
So okay, take me back to, so,your first official game.
In that, like what were youthinking?
Like, what was the mindset?
Mindset, I mean, I remember myfirst game when I stepped on the
, on the football field, and youlook around and say, geez, I'm
actually, you know, out here andyou know, playing a college
sport.
Mikayla (10:59):
But like, what was it like for you when you, when you
stepped in your first game, didit click to you saying, geez,
I'm actually starting for adivision, one team yeah, when I
found out I was starting, Iactually called my mom and I was
like I'm starting and I waslike really emotional because it
was like I had worked so hardbut like I had finally saw the
(11:19):
results and stuff.
And when I stepped in that andthe whistle blew to the start of
the first half, I definitelywas freaking out a little bit
and I think that's why I mean,my first game was against Maine.
My first ever division one gamewas against Maine of all teams
and it was.
It was just such a surrealfeeling, like I'm actually
(11:43):
playing, I'm starting at thedivision one level, like it was.
It was really cool, it was areally cool experience and I
will never forget that game.
Rocky (11:53):
So, kay, not many people know you played half the season
with a broken hand, right?
So how, how?
Number one, how did you do it?
And then number two was youknow mentally for you because
again I'm just going to give youmy own take here as a college
(12:16):
athlete, even in high school,like, if you get injured,
somebody else has to play foryou.
Like, if you're out and I wasalways under that mindset was if
I came off the field and I wasinjured and somebody came in for
me and they played really well,as a coach, decisions gotta be
well.
You know the person I'm puttingin for the person that got hurt
is playing really well.
I can't really make that change.
Did that ever cross your mindto where, if you were hurt which
you can't control, you come outof the game and the person
(12:39):
behind you steps in plays well,that you could have lost your
spot?
Like what was your mindset?
Mikayla (12:44):
It definitely.
I mean it definitely crossed mymind.
I mean I didn't know that itwas broken the entire time so I
just kept playing and I think,like the, the pain never really
stopped me because again, I waslike I'm in this moment, right
now, I have this opportunity,it's I can handle the pain for
right now and but I mean itdefinitely crossed my head and
(13:08):
you know it's.
But I definitely I don't Idon't know it was.
It was I definitely had to workextra hard in practices and
stuff to, I mean, prove that Iwas okay.
Rocky (13:21):
But yeah, so how'd you do it?
Do you remember the exact playyou did and what team it was
against?
Mikayla (13:27):
Um, so I actually broke it in a practice I it was the
game before there's, thepractice before binghamton and
it was.
We were just going over likepassing sequences with the
forwards and stuff and it was a1v1 and my hand kind of went
back in like to the side alittle bit and I was like, oh,
(13:48):
that kind of hurt.
So I got taped, thought it wasfine, because I've I've sprained
my wrist many of times and itkind of felt like that at first.
So I taped it up and then Ijust kept playing on it.
Rocky (13:59):
But yeah, so, okay, most athletes I mean I mean some
people deal with pain a littlebit differently, and obviously
you, your your pain tolerance ispretty high.
But you could have shut it down, right.
You could have came out andsaid my wrist hurts, my hand
hurts, I don't know if I can goback in um.
Was there ever a moment in timewhen you thought you couldn't
keep playing, that you're gonnahave to tap out?
Mikayla (14:21):
there was definitely some moments where I was like I
remember a practice in specificand we were doing shooting drill
.
We were doing a shooting drilland I had to step off to the
side and kind of like have mymoment and like this is really
painful.
But I got ice afterwards and itkind of subsided it and but I
(14:42):
never really had the thoughtthat like oh, like this is an
actual problem, like I knew itwas worse than what I was being
told, but I was like I'm gonnakeep playing, I need to keep
playing and in games I didn'treally notice it a lot so I
thought that that was like fine,so I just kept taping it, I
(15:03):
iced it constantly and just keptchecking in with my trainer, do
the best that I could, but I Inever to that point where I was
like this hurts extra bad, thatI need to like sit out.
So I don't know if that's agood thing or a bad thing.
Rocky (15:22):
Yeah, no, and I think what's always tough, too, is so
I mean, I, I I bailed it justabout.
I had a horrible, unfortunateevents where every year in
college I missed spring ball dueto injuries and it was really
hard to sit out and watch.
And I know in your case youmissed some of the winter
workouts, right, you missedspring workouts and you just
recently got cleared back andnow you're playing soccer over
(15:44):
the summer.
But what was it like for you tosit back and have to watch you,
you know, and you couldn't workout.
I know you're a workout freakand you like to work out, but
what was that like for youhaving to sit out?
Mikayla (15:56):
It was honestly one of the hardest things I've ever
done, because I've never sat outfor that long.
I mean, I broke my collarbone avery long time ago but I've met
.
That was only like three months, four months, I think.
I sat out for a total of likeseven months and it was honestly
really hard.
But the good thing with myinjury obviously, since it's my
(16:19):
hand, I still joined in with therunning workouts.
We did Um, I lifted with theteam, but I just did like one
arm stuff or if I would squat mymy my lifting coach was really
good and like made adjustmentsfor me.
I tried to do the most that Icould without obviously further
(16:40):
injuring myself and not using myleft hand at all, and that
definitely helped.
But it was always.
The hardest thing was I want toget back to being in that.
I want to be back.
But I just had to keepreminding myself that recovery
is the most important thing andif I recover now, I'm not going
to have these problems in the in, in the past or in the future.
(17:01):
And yeah, but it was definitelyhard.
There was a time where Icouldn't work out at all and
that was tough, but again, Ijust had to keep looking towards
the future and seeing that I'mgoing to be good enough to play
and I just needed to be patient.
Rocky (17:24):
How was your teammates with you throughout the whole
time?
Did any of your teammates kindof keep pushing you along and
encourage you, saying hang inthere and things are going to
get better.
Mikayla (17:36):
How was your teammates towards you throughout the whole
time that any of your teammateskind of you know keep pushing
you along and encourage you,saying hang in there, and you
know things are going to getbetter.
How was your teammates towardsyou?
Yeah, my teammates were awesome.
I mean they when I couldn't umlift and run and I would sit on.
I would still go to practicesand sit on the side and you know
, cheer them on and stuff andand my teammates would.
There was this one time myteammate came over and was like
you just look so sad at theworkouts, but you're doing great
(17:56):
.
Like I know you're gonna getback stronger and better than
you ever were, and it was justlike they were awesome.
They were definitely helped inthe process of um, keeping my
mindset positive and hopefultowards the future, but they
were awesome.
Rocky (18:14):
Yeah, I think every athlete, when you go through an
injury, I mean you see it in theprofessional side of sports too
, in colleges, that I thinkathletes come back stronger than
what they were.
You know the first time beforethe injury and I know you came
in in great shape.
You know for preseason and youknow you worked your butt off to
get a starting spot.
But would you learn aboutyourself?
You know, sitting out youprobably had a lot of time to
(18:35):
sit back and think and reflecton everything.
Would you learn about yourselfthrough that whole time?
Mikayla (18:44):
I honestly that I learned a lot about myself, like
you said.
But it was like realizing justhow important soccer was to
never take any game for granted,like any practice, even any
lift, like there could be a timejust like walking down my
(19:06):
stairs and fall.
And I took all that before forgranted and but I mean I feel
like we just had like play everygame like it's your last and
stuff, but it, it was definitelyit.
It helped me realize just howimportant soccer was.
Rocky (19:31):
So, kay, when you look back now because obviously your
freshman year is over and youhad a great academic, you did
very well in school, which isthe most important thing, but
when you look back now on yourfreshman year, what did you
learn about the journey you wentthrough and was there anything
you might have done differently?
Mikayla (19:48):
when you look back on it now, I don't really think I
would do anything differently.
I was I made sure to stayconsistent in my workouts.
When I could work out duringwinter I stayed supportive to,
you know, like the other goaliesand my team, and helped out.
And the only thing maybe Iwould have done differently in
(20:13):
the academic aspect is maybepaid more attention like figured
out more like study habits inmy freshman year, in my first
semester, because it wasdefinitely it was definitely
tough, you know, like travelingand practices and games in your
first semester of college.
It was definitely tough, but Ithink that helped me progress
(20:39):
for second semester, if thatmakes any sense, yeah.
Rocky (20:46):
And Kay, how about for the team?
Because I know you guys didn'thave the greatest of seasons in
your first year.
But as your team transitions tothe Division I level, it may
take two or three years beforeyou guys start trending in the
right direction.
But how tough was it for you toreally come in year one where
your team really didn't have alot of success at all and the
(21:08):
games that you played in wereagainst the best teams you know
in the league.
Mikayla (21:11):
But how tough was it for you to come in um, you know
your first year where a team wasbasically on a rebuilding, just
making that transition it waspretty tough with the amount of
shots I got, but it always likewhat I always thought about was
I'm I want to help, help thisteam get to and you know,
(21:34):
progress, um, but I mean I was,I'm also adjusting to vision.
One level, obviously, being afreshman, being a freshman my
first year.
But, um, yeah, I think we'regonna make pretty big
improvements.
I mean, we're only second,going into our third year
(21:56):
possibly.
Rocky (21:57):
Yeah, it's definitely tough, but Okay, what would be
some of the goals you know youhave for yourself coming into
this season?
You know both individually andthen as far as team goals, what
would be some of those you haveset for yourself and for the
team?
Mikayla (22:16):
For myself, I would say , just to be be honest with my
body, like my wrist reallyreally hurts then to you know,
communicate that.
But, um, yeah, for a team Iwould say just like, keep being
positive and stuff like that.
Um, we really struggled withscoring this year, so I would
(22:41):
definitely say like scoring moregoals or just having more
opportunities in the offense.
But yeah, that's pretty much it.
Rocky (22:51):
Okay, obviously, you know I always I've talked to you,
know I always I've talked to youknow young athletes like
yourself, high school athletes,college professional athletes
and I always like to ask thequestion is you know, for young
athletes listening tonight orwe'll listen on the replay when
we finish up what would be someof the advices, the advice you
would give those athletes thatare facing adversity, and
(23:12):
whether it's an injury like youbattled through, and whether
it's self-doubt, whether it'spressure and obviously at that
level or any level, the pressurethat young athletes face today
and with the state of mentalhealth today in sports, what
advice would you give the youngathletes?
Mikayla (23:31):
I would just say to stay on your own path you are
your biggest like enemy in thehead and just to keep pushing
yourself, use your supportsystem, I would say is the most
important thing.
With injury, I would definitely, definitely just look towards
the future.
Recovery is the most importantthing.
(23:54):
Just be patient.
My mom was always, alwaystelling me I just need to be
patient and I'll be back in thenet.
Um, but yeah, just keepencouraging yourself and don't
be so hard on yourself.
Um, you know you're doingwhat's best for you.
You're pushing yourself, Um,but never, never, self doubt
(24:17):
yourself.
Um, but yeah.
Rocky (24:21):
I think I think what's really cool is, I think, now
that you come back and you knowyou, you have a year under your
belt, I know you're doing a lotof uh, you stuff, you, you do
some goalkeeper with, training,with with young kids how much
does that mean to you?
You know, here I am at 45 yearsold and and I feel like I I
like to give back, we want togive back.
(24:42):
But what's that mean to you,now that you're now coaching and
mentoring, uh, being a mentorto some of these young athletes,
and now you're training?
Mikayla (24:53):
It's honestly my favorite thing.
I love it so much.
I love just giving back toyouth because obviously they're
going to be pursuing stuff, butI think it really helps a lot
with me mentally and stuff andit's like I'm helping, helping
(25:13):
these younger athletes and Ithink they really enjoy it too.
Um, but yeah, it's definitelymy favorite.
I love it so much, um, justgiving back and using all my
knowledge that I've grownthroughout all the years with
all my amazing goalie coachesand just like projecting that
onto younger athletes tohopefully help them, you know,
(25:37):
reach their goals and stuff, andI think it's really amazing
okay, what?
Rocky (25:42):
what's something that people may not know about you
off the field?
We know you're a competitor onthe field, but what's something
that people may not know aboutyou off the field?
Mikayla (25:53):
Off the field?
I'm not really sure.
I mean, all I really do is likeI really enjoy spending my time
working out.
I mean I've been getting in thegym a lot more.
I've been going to the fieldand doing practicing my goal
kicks and punts.
Yeah, I don't really know.
(26:15):
To be honest, it's a hardquestion.
Rocky (26:17):
I had to stump you a little bit.
How about Dolphy Day?
Tell us about Dolphy Day.
How was it?
I know it was always breakingyour chops on it.
I was there many years ago withStatman at Le Moyne.
But how was Dolphy Day?
Was it everything that peoplesay it is?
Mikayla (26:32):
Dolphy Day is pretty amazing.
If you're choosing between LeMoyne and another school, make
Dolphy Day the reason you cometo Le Moyne.
It's really fun, it's great.
The teachers are, so they'repretty lenient, obviously,
because it's like it's DolphyDay, like you're not, you're not
gonna have kids in class.
Um, it was just so fun and thevibes of campus that day were oh
(26:57):
my god, it was so it was.
It was really great to seeeverybody come together and just
have fun.
The food's pretty good and justlike again the atmosphere.
It was a beautiful day too.
It was like perfect weather.
But yeah, dolphy Day isdefinitely worth.
If you're coming to Le Moyne,be ready for Dolphy day.
Rocky (27:14):
Okay, toughest course.
You took theology.
Mikayla (27:19):
It have to be the theology or um my psychology,
brain and behavior.
Rocky (27:28):
Psychology, brain and behavior.
Mikayla (27:30):
Yes, psychology, brain and behavior.
Rocky (27:32):
Yes.
Mikayla (27:33):
Ooh, and that was.
Rocky (27:34):
I took that one during my first semester and I'm pretty
sure it was hey, maddie Want tosay hi to Kay.
Kay, she wants to say hi to you.
Yeah, hi, maddie, hi Anothernumberdie Hi, another number 33.
Mikayla (27:57):
Yeah, future forward.
Not a goalie Kidding, I don'tknow how you did.
Did you win?
Rocky (28:07):
your game.
Mikayla (28:08):
Did you have a game?
Yeah, we had two, but we lostgoals, that's okay, you win some
, you lose some.
Do you have a game?
Yeah, we had two, but we lostgoals.
That's okay.
You win some, you lose some.
Did you score any goals?
Yeah?
Rocky (28:25):
Good, she wanted to say hi to you.
They were just getting home soI wanted her to jump on.
So last question I got for you,kay, and I know what the answer
is going to be here, but I'mgoing to ask you anyways biggest
supporters for you throughtough times, the good times um,
I know what your answer is goingto be, but gotta ask the
(28:46):
question because we all gothrough tough times and I think
that's the fun part of me doingthis show behind, beyond the
game, is because there's more.
There's more to life than justsports.
Right, there's different thingsthat we face and in your case,
you faced a significant injurywhere you were fortunate enough
to find a way to get through theseason and then you had to sit
out and now you're coming backbetter than ever, and through
(29:06):
those times you got to havepeople around you, a good
support system.
So who's that support systemfor you?
Mikayla (29:11):
I mean obviously my family.
Do I have to pick one inspecific?
Rocky (29:17):
no, you don't, that's I.
I knew that was the answer itwas.
I knew that was the answer wasan obvious question.
Uh, for me, but I think, ineven when you, you know, you get
out of sports and you still gotto have that support system,
because there's never there'sgoing to be tough days, good
days.
Mikayla (29:31):
So I, I knew what the answer was going to be, so, um,
but I figured I'd still ask youso yeah, I mean I could, I could
, I could point out my mom,because she was my workout buddy
when I had one arm to work outwith and she always annoyed me
about just being patient throughmy injury.
But yeah, everybody just was agreat help and made me remind
(29:56):
myself that I just need to bepatient so off season you're
playing soccer.
Rocky (30:00):
Now, right, you're playing some summer soccer, and
then when you have to reportback to school, you guys start
earlier this year.
Mikayla (30:06):
July 27th okay which isn't too bad.
I mean, it's two days earlierthan last year, but the
following year it's going to beeven earlier than July 27th.
Rocky (30:20):
Yeah, you said that'll be a lot earlier, right?
I think it was two weeksearlier, something like that,
right, yeah?
Mikayla (30:26):
It's like mid-July.
Oh my goodness.
Rocky (30:30):
So that'll be fast.
Mikayla (30:32):
Yeah, I guess we'll see .
Rocky (30:34):
Okay, gonna.
I?
I said I was gonna go a halfhour with it.
I'm looking at my timer.
I was just a little over a halfhour, so perfect timing.
I'm glad we were finally ableto, uh, you know, touch base and
finally uh, make this thinghappen.
So I appreciate it and uh, asyou know, we're all proud of you
and we look forward to.
I got to come because I got somuch LeMoyne gear now I got so
(30:57):
many shirts and stuff to wear.
I got more LeMoyne gear than Igot anything else, so we'll be
ducking LeMoyne gear.
Aunt Lindsay bought us newchairs, so we're ready to go
come fall, I got new chairs, newchairs for the game.
So we'll be ready, but we'reproud of you, we love you and I
appreciate you jumping on.
Mikayla (31:16):
I appreciate you having me.
Rocky (31:18):
All right, kay, thank you .
Mikayla (31:20):
Thank you, bye-bye.
Rocky (31:23):
So that was my niece, michaela McFerrin, who jumped on
with me here tonight and I lovetalking to young athletes and
you know everybody has differentthings that they battle through
and hers was an injury that shefound a way to finish the
season off and nobody reallyknew she had a broken wrist.
I don't even think my sisterand our family knew she broke it
(31:43):
until you know the end of theseason.
But she found a way um greatsupport system.
She's got a great family behindher and I think that's what
that's.
What we all need is a greatsupport system.
She's got a great family behindher and I think that's what
that's.
What we all need is a greatsupport system and she had a
great year and she'll I knowshe'll be on the bigger and
better things in year two.
So I appreciate you tuning intonight.
Thursday night I'll post it.
I'll be doing an interviewtalking RFA softball as they're
(32:07):
fresh off a section three titleyesterday.
I don't know who they'replaying yet, but I believe they
are playing Friday.
I don't know who they'replaying yet, but I believe they
are playing Friday.
I don't know if they're playingout in Buffalo or they're
playing out in Binghamton.
I've heard a couple differentthings, but I'll talk to coach a
little bit more about that.
Sunday the Mohawk Valley SportsWatch will air.
We're going to shoot the airSunday morning but I'll confirm
(32:28):
that later on with the guys.
So again, I want to thankeverybody for tuning in here
tonight.
I want to thank my niece forjumping out with me tonight here
on the Beyond the Game podcast.
I always say here on theRockpile the Rockpile is where
dreams become reality.
Mikayla (32:41):
Have a good evening everybody.
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