In Their Own Words: Sara Rogers

Sept. 17, 2007

Throughout the 2007 season, members of the Kansas soccer team will offer their thoughts on various topics in the first person. Today, junior forward/midfielder Sara Rogers is highlighted.

On her role on the team: <?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

“I’m most comfortable playing out wide, whether it’s out wide as a forward or out wide in the midfield. That’s where I’ve played pretty much my whole life. I do also like to play forward. But I like to receive the ball when I’m out wide and taking people. That’s probably my strength, as opposed to having to turn (with the ball).”

“I like to connect a lot. I’m more of a passer, so I like to connect with the forwards, and if I can take on (a defender) 1-v-1 to create a better shot, I will when the time is right. I like to finish if I’m given the chance, but I really like to set up the goals.”

On this year’s offensive woes:

“I think we need to have confidence to score the goals. There have been a lot of times in the last couple of games where we’ve had opportunities to shoot. It’s more of a mentality than it is anything else. If you have the mentality going into the box of just getting a foot on it, or a piece of the ball, (instead of taking the perfect shot) that would probably help us out a lot.”

“We’ve had chances where all we needed to do was just get a little tap on the ball. We just have to have the confidence that we’re going to score.”

“It’s not that we aren’t producing offense, it’s just a matter of finishing our chances. We have to calm down place (the ball) and stay composed in the box.”

On what brought her to KU:

“When I was looking at where I wanted to go to school, I wanted to be close to home. I wanted to be close to my family and wanted my parents and my brothers to be able to come to my games.”

“Along with that, I really liked the big school aspect in a college town. I loved the coaching staff, and the team.”

“Early on I looked at a lot of different places. I looked at Missouri State, Creighton, Minnesota. But in the end I wanted to stay close to my family, and there really aren’t that many schools close to (Leawood) that had all everything I was looking for.”

On playing basketball in high school:

“I played point guard on my high school basketball team. I wasn’t a big scorer in basketball. I liked to distribute, kind of like in soccer.”

On which of her teammates would make up her starting five:

“I don’t think too many people on our team played basketball. But I would have Jessica Bush on my team. I’m not sure where, but she would play. I would have (former teammate) Holly Gault come back and play. I would put Kim (Boyer) at post, to give us some height. Then probably Erin Ellefson or Geneva (Magness), because I think they played in high school.”

“With our size, I think we’d have to be able to shoot from the outside, and not go down low as much. Maybe if we were looking for height, Julie (Hanley) or Stephanie (Baugh) could get in.”

On being a fan of Friends:

“I love Friends. My favorite character would have to be Joey. He’s great. Elf (Erin Ellefson) and I have a Chandler Bing face that we do sometimes just goofing around.”

On the team’s attitude heading into the week:
“We’re upset with how the games have gone thus far, but our motto is `game-by-game’. So whether we win or lose, the next time we touch the ball, it’s all about the next game. Obviously, everybody has thought hard about how our season has gone, but it’s really important for us to take it game by game and focus on Missouri State. We can’t focus on the past, we have to learn from it and move on.”