On legs she can't feel, Eckerd soccer player looks for new goal (Tampa Bay Times)

By Lisa Gartner
Tampa Bay Times Staff Writer
November 10, 2013

ST. PETERSBURG — The first time she learned to walk, she kicked grapefruits across the kitchen floor, so there was never a time that Erin Davis didn't play soccer. She played with the neighborhood kids and she played with the boys, the ones four years her senior, and by the time Erin was 13, colleges were filling her mailbox, wondering if she'd come play with them too.

Soon she'd join the most elite pool of players in the country, on the United States youth national team. She'd play on five teams at once, and train at the Bradenton athletic academy that gave Eli Manning to football and Ian Desmond to baseball. The Olympics committee would send letters to her high school. Erin can't come to school today because ...

Suddenly there was pain. Pain in her legs when she ran and kicked the ball, pain in her head from the bad things that had happened, the things she told herself weren't real.

To live a life without the pain, Erin Davis had surgery to kill the nerve in her left leg; nerve damage took care of the right. Today, 26 and still playing, she can't feel anything beneath her knees: not the ankles she covers with shin guards, not the cleats she laces up over her feet. She can't feel the ground she is running on. She can't feel the ball she is kicking past goalies.

She returned to the field for the first time in six years this fall as a mid-fielder for Eckerd College's Division II team.

Soccer could help Davis find closure from the only dream she's ever had. But it's hard to find a new dream, when you don't let go of the old one.

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Women's World Cup soccer champion Brandi Chastain talks to Shorecrest coach! VIDEO

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The new hoodies are in and they're fantastic!

Coach Bob Andelman models the new Shorecrest Prep MD Girls Soccer hoodies. Frankly, they look much cuter on the players, but we didn't have any photos of them.
If you'd rather see players than coaches, send us your Shorecrest soccer pictures!

Shorecrest MD Girls Soccer 2 St. Stephens 4 (Dec. 8)

There was an upset in the making for the Shorecrest Middle Division Girls Soccer team on Wednesday, December 8, in Bradenton when the Chargers jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the first half over the previously unbeaten St. Stephen's JV team. Goals by Sophie W. and Taylor A. led the way as the defense was a proverbial Great Wall of China.

But the lead shrank to 2-1 as the half ended, and St. Stephen's gave up shooting from close-in and began taking longer and higher shots on goal. That strategy served it well, delivering three unanswered goals for the St. Stephen's JV girls. It may have been a loss in the end, but the Chargers MD girls could hold their heads up high as the only squad this season to even challenge St. Stephen's. Before Shorecrest, only Berkley Prep had scored a single goal off St. Stephen's; all of its other victories were shutouts.

There were several breakout moments for the Shorecrest defense, including scrappy play by Caitlin B. and Amanda P. and high, booming kicks by Brandee T. and Kylie H. that saved potential goals from scoring and presented fresh opportunities to the offense.

The MD Girls Soccer team's record is now 6-2 (including a forfeit by Cambridge), but the girls are 5-0 against middle school-only teams!


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Shorecrest MD Girls Soccer 5, Keswick Christian 0 (Dec. 7)

The Middle Division Girls Soccer team continued its winning ways on Tuesday, December 7, with a shutout win over Keswick Christian at home. Five different girls scored in the game, beginning with Sydney B. (in the first three minutes), followed by Sophie W. (assisted by Holly M. and Multy O.) in the first half and Kendall P. (assisted by Sophie W. and Olivia R.), Olivia R. and Taylor A. (assisted by Caitlin B.). Additional shots on goal were fired by Kylie H., Laura H., Nicole L. and Cennedi M. Also contributing to the offense were Francesca J., Bailee M. and Olivia D.

On a cold day, the defense was red-hot, stopping all but three balls from reaching keeper Katie J. in the first half and allowing just one in the second half. Defenders who made especially good plays included Brandee T., Amanda P., Victoria V., Camille P., Wendy D. and Sage F. The win was the Chargers' fifth in a row.

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Individual & Team Photos Now Available!

If you haven't already seen them, you can order team and individual photos of the 2009-10 Shorecrest Chargers MD Gold Girls soccer team from Northeast Photo. Bruce Wooster does a phenomenal job with these each year and the girls look great.

The link is http://photodepository.com/quicklink/111788972.html

The password is 7348


Photos taken by Northeast Photography

• Bruce Wooster
• (727) 528-0972
• www.nephotostpete.com