Oct. 31, 2003
If you have watched one University of Kentucky women’s soccer match over the past three seasons, you’ve witnessed a tough, physical style of play from defender Amber Wilson. One could surmise that she sustained her toughness after enduring long periods of rehabilitation from various injuries. Toughness is displayed by a soccer player who plays an entire season on a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her knee before electing to have surgery. Toughness is overcoming two torn meniscus injuries, a broken collarbone, a concussion and a fractured vertebrae. Amber Wilson is toughness.
Wilson started playing soccer at age five and would later dabble in baseball and swimming before staying with soccer. Wilson earned a scholarship to the University of Michigan where she had a sensational freshman season, scoring nine goals and adding five assists. Wilson wanted something more out of her collegiate destination, so she searched for greener pastures. She found a home with former high school teammate and fellow senior Kara McCue at Kentucky, eventually reuniting in the Kentucky backfield. Wilson’s presence was noticed from the get-go, and she’s been right at home in the Kentucky defense since.
The Cats have always depended on Wilson’s defensive abilities, but her sparks on offense have been huge for Kentucky. Her lone goal of the 2002 season was one of the more memorable scores in recent memory. Wilson’s 20-yard right-footer on a sloppy field at the UK Soccer Complex proved to be the game-winner in the Cats’ 1-0 victory over Mississippi State.
Wilson cites the relationships among teammates and coaches as one of the things she’ll remember most after her Kentucky days. And occasionally, a coach or two will let their guard down and act as if they’re just one of the players.
“We had the music on one day in the locker room, and, of course, Kara (McCue) was performing for us. Warren (Lipka) walks in, pulls his hood up and starts dancing all over the place. Our coaches are hilarious and it has always been a lot of fun to be on the road with everyone,” Wilson said.
