A Day In The Life: Former Deacon Erin Regan
8/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 18, 2003
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Kathryn Hamm) - Earlier this spring as Erin Regan was sitting down at her computer, an instant message from Sarah Kate Noftsinger popped up. Noftsinger, a midfielder for the Washington Freedom, asked if Regan, her former teammate at the University of Wake Forest, might be interested in a possible opening for a goalkeeping spot with the Freedom.
Regan, ever the quiet and easy-going adventurer, had already worked out with two other WUSA clubs. She'd had no luck in San Jose because they knew that she planned to try out for the San Diego Spirit. But then, she didn't make the San Diego squad either.
Every athlete who has faced that moment when she goes from a starting position and owning the full 90, to being on the bench or not making the team, knows how difficult a moment like this can be.
Regan, however, took the turn of events in stride and decided it was time to move on.
"I thought that I had given it my shot," Regan explained, "and that's how it worked out. That's how the numbers were for the team, and I was OK with it." For 10 days, she "just hung out and postponed the real world and went to the beach."
And that's when Noftsinger drew her back into the game.
When Freedom goalkeeping coach, Dave Vanole, called and asked her to try out, Regan made the necessary arrangements and was in Washington, D.C. within two days' time.
Two months later, she is still in Washington and on the team as a developmental player. Regan, along with another rookie developmental player, Laura Schott, train along with the team, take care of team-oriented responsibilities, but bring home only a nominal paycheck. In other words, they do all of the work and get little to none of the glory.
Developmental players are the league's answer to the reduced roster size, especially in a World Cup year when players will be called up to play for their national teams. This gives opportunity to them and security for the teams, but it's a grueling physical internship for the developmental players.
For Regan, though, the stakes have recently increased. With the dismissal of Gao Hong, Regan is now serving as the team's back up keeper to Siri Mullinix until Nicci Wright arrives from Canada next week.
Regardless of whether she's serving as the third or second-string keeper for the team, there are several consistencies in Regan's workday.
Recently, Regan took a few minutes to walk our readers through "a day in the life." In her words:
8:00 a.m. I wake up for practice. In this time, I have a half hour to eat and "get all dolled up for practice."
8:30 a.m. I leave for the "office."
9:00 a.m. I arrive at RFK Stadium and mosey around the locker room accomplishing the little things, you know, the basics: changing, putting up my hair. Actually, the best part is sitting around listening to the funny stories that people have to tell in the mornings.
9:17 a.m. I look at the sheet just posted in the locker room that describes what we'll be doing in practice. It's a ritual, to see what we're doing and then decide to stress about what we're going to do or enjoy it.
9:45 a.m. We head out to the field.
10:00 a.m. Practice starts.
10:15 a.m. Warm up is well under way and I think, I'm ready to take off the sweatshirt, knowing that it's going to be a tough practice, and also that I'm going to be sweating today!
10:30 a.m. I remind myself to take practice 15 minutes at a time, to get through the rough spots. I always tell myself: if you have a bad 15 minutes, you get another shot 15 minutes later. That keeps me going.
11:00 a.m. At this point, I'm usually in full keeper gear and I'm really sweating.
11:45ish a.m. (depending on the day) - I either say to myself, 'we're winding down and I made it through this day to make it to another' or I'm saying, 'OK, now we've got fitness and then I'll be winding down and knowing I made it through another day to make it to another."
12:00 p.m. Practice ends & we get cleaned up
12:30 p.m. If no team video, I head for home and the rest of the day is mine to do as little or as much as I please. Anyone who has watched the team practice, especially after a two-day break when fitness is a major component of practice, knows that the work is grueling. For Regan the formula is simple: "After a day of practice, you can go home and know that you worked hard today so you don't feel bad about eating that extra Snickers or taking that nap."
She earns those afternoon naps as she fights to hold on to her spot and pave a way for herself in the future. "I'm just trying to outdo myself every day," she says, "and block one more shot than the day before."
As she pushes herself, she finds herself drawing on the strengths of her workmate, Mullinix, and seeking wisdom from her experience.
"Siri's excellent so she's a worthy adversary, to say the least," says Regan. "I learn a lot from her every day, just watching her play and learning from the decisions she makes."
Regan's outlook is balanced and explains how she works so hard while also enjoying her time on the pitch. "You have to get used to the fact that (being a developmental player) is the position you're in and you have to decide to make the most of it," she says. "You can decide to accept your role or to feel badly about yourself and complain. Everyone plays a certain role on the team and that's my role for right now.
"Being a part of this team is exciting and I feel like I'm really contributing...I'm enjoying the spot I'm in right now. When you're a developmental player, every day you're proving your worth."
It's a cycle of days that Regan is beginning to know and know well.
She says, "It's all business in the morning -- until noon... It's business and then recovery.
"And that's the God's honest truth, too."
- story published May 7, 2003