Ellen Castellini

Strikers taught me so much about soccer, sports, and life. Though it has been 11 years since I wore a Striker jersey, it is still one of my best memories. I played for Strikers all through elementary, middle, and high school. I played for wonderful coaches like Pat Feulner, Greg Fink, Bernie Kehoe, Fred Ward, & Amy and Jim Winslow.

Strikers instilled a love for the game in a way that lasted me through college. Burnout is so common in high school and college, but Strikers gave me a love for the sport that I didn’t lose. I loved the feel of the ball on my foot, of a great win, of the bone deep tiredness after a hard practice, of practicing with teammates who became best friends, of time spent with my parents on trips all over the country.

After Strikers, I played at the University of Notre Dame. Because I had learned what it meant to be a true team player, to push on even when exhausted, and to play just for the love of it at Strikers, the years at Notre Dame were a very special time in my life.

– Ellen Castellini