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January 11, 2010
BARG DSN WOMEN'S PLAYER OF YEAR
Notre Dame midfielder hails from Plano
By Phil Stephens
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Courtney Barg was named Dallas Soccer News' women's college player of the year. Barg, a sophomore from Plano, was also Big East Midfielder of the Year.
Photo Courtesy of Walt Middleton |
Sophomore Courtney Barg is still undecided about her major at Notre Dame. Not too unusual at this stage. The Plano, Texas native was surer of her function on the soccer pitch, but had to change course several weeks into the 2009 season when she was asked to move to the holding midfield slot from her long held attacking position. Despite some internal misgivings, Barg proved to be a quick learner. She surpassed all expectations in helping to lead the fighting Irish to a 21-4-1 record and quarterfinal round of the NCAA playoffs and became the first member of the Irish to be named the Big East midfielder of the year since Jen Buczkowski in 2005. She also earned the Dallas Soccer News Women’s College Player of the Year.
“I just said, sure—but inside, I was a little hesitant,” Barg admitted. “I’ve always played the attacking role. I never felt I was a good defender.”
Big East opponents and coaches saw it differently, giving the sophomore the top midfield honor.
Notre Dame assistant coach Dawn Greathouse was more specific.
“Barg is one of the most composed players I’ve seen at the college level,” she said. “She was great at helping to settle the midfield and the team. She helped dictate play. I was so happy to see her get the recognition from the league, since she was playing in a spot where she would not accumulate a lot off offensive stats.”
“Even when she was surrounded on the field, she was able to control the situation. Though not very tall (5’-5”) she was quite a good header. She is a quiet leader, a person her teammates will lean on,” Greathouse said.
Even though she wasn’t sure she could help with her defending at first, Barg was confident in her ability to control the ball and play between attacking midfielders and distribute to her own midfield and forwards and to keep the ball on the ground.
“I got a lot of support from my teammates and they taught me a lot,” Barg said. “Coach Greathouse and head coach Randy Waldrum taught me about the position. I learned a lot from teammates Amanda Clark and Courtney Rosen, until Rosen broke her foot. From both of them, I learned about not getting scared. I realized it was an attitude that I am going to get the ball, no matter what.”
Barg said she was inspired a lot by another Texan on the Irish, Jessica Schuveiller, who also played with her on the Sting ’90 team.
“She was a center back,” Barg said. “It surprised her I was willing to get more physical. Now she’s fearless and encouraged me a lot. She had confidence in me before I had confidence in myself. She is one of our captains and a sophomore.”
“I am not too loud or too talkative; not really a captain type—I tend to lead by example.”
Barg learned some new things about herself and her new position last season.
“I used to not be physical, but I learned a whole new part of the game. I am beginning to appreciate that aspect. I always used to say, ‘so and so would get it,’ but not anymore. Defenders in back of me also appreciated the fact that I started to get physical. It helped me 100 percent.”
Barg is confident her team can pick up where it left off this year. She felt they worked out some bumps in development early in the season. Notre Dame lost 1-0 in the quarterfinals to eventual national champions University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill.
As much as she personally accomplished last season, Barg will start the 2010 season a lot more confident. She just wants to help the team accomplish its goals, getting back to the final four and take a national championship.
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