Senior Elle Street stands out as a multi-sport athlete at Simpson College, balancing both soccer and basketball while contributing leadership and discipline.
Street only gets a brief pause between the end of the soccer season and the beginning of the basketball season. The short break allows her to quickly reset both physically and mentally, until it is time to step onto the basketball court.
“Being where my feet are helps a lot,” Street said. “Being a senior took a bigger hit, but I think looking forward to something next, like basketball, helps.”
What makes the nonstop schedule worthwhile for Street is the sense of family she feels in both teams.
Those around her also notice how smoothly she transitions between seasons and how she never lets the busy schedule affect her commitment to the teams. Many of her teammates feed off the positive attitude she brings every day.
Senior Avery Plathe, a member of the Simpson women’s soccer team, said Street plays a huge role in the culture of their team.
“She’s one of those players who isn’t phased much, and she works hard all the time while balancing the two sports so well,” Plathe said.
Being a multi-sport athlete in college can be challenging, as there is often little time to rest and recover before moving to the next season. It takes discipline and resilience to manage the workload of competing in two sports while also receiving an education.
Head women’s basketball coach Brian Niemuth was a multi-sport athlete himself and said he understands what Street goes through.
“It’s definitely a difficult thing to do. You have to be a very good athlete to be good in both sports,” Niemuth said.
Niemuth played basketball and baseball in college, and said transitioning from a winter sport to a spring sport was hard for him. He had little to no time to practice for baseball before the season started.
When Street is occupied by soccer, she still attends every basketball practice. When she can, she will shoot to get some practice on the court.
“She was almost at every one of our practices to watch, so she understands what we’re putting in offensively and defensively,” Niemuth said.
Street’s ability to stay connected with both programs highlights her level of commitment. Even with overlapping schedules, she maintains a presence which helps strengthen herself and her teammates.
“I usually have meetings with Coach Niemuth to check in, and he’s really supportive of it as well as my soccer coach, which helps,” Street said.
As her final season unfolds, Street continues to show how her commitment and discipline guide her on and off the field and the court.
