Coupeville Sports

Carolyn Lhamon may wear a different uniform these days, but she’s still a soccer sensation. (Photo courtesy Helene Lhamon)

Carolyn Lhamon is still rampaging on the soccer pitch, but some of the road trips are a lot longer than in her high school days.

While playing for Coupeville, the All-Conference midfielder and team captain often traveled to far-flung places like Forks and Friday Harbor.

But now that Lhamon is a freshman suiting up for the Colorado School of Mines women’s club team, she sometimes jumps out of state for soccer action.

Case in point, a recent trip to Round Rock, Texas, where the Orediggers competed in the NIRSA National Soccer Championships.

What does NIRSA stand for, you ask?

Deep breath … it’s the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association.

Now you know, and knowing is half the battle, as every ’80s kid knows from watching G.I. Joe cartoons.

Lhamon, who has likely never seen one of those Saturday morning specials, joined her teammates at a NIRSA battle royal which featured 96 teams – 48 each on the women’s and men’s side of the bracket.

The Orediggers fought to a 1-1 draw with Millersville University, which hails from Pennsylvania, while being nipped 1-0 by Grand Valley State and 2-0 by the University of Oregon.

That caps a season in which Colorado went 6-7-2, while often playing against club programs from much-larger schools.

Getting to keep playing her favorite sport has been a joy for Lhamon.

“She’s loving club soccer!” said mom Helene.

“In club soccer there are no divisions, so a lot of power programs here, but Mines is showing them that engineers from small schools can play great soccer!”

Lhamon, who also played basketball and track and field as a Wolf, was a CHS Female Athlete of the Year winner as a junior.

When she’s not on the pitch, she’s majoring in Biochemical Engineering and has joined a sorority.