At age 21, Caitlin Farrell '12 has already cemented her place as one of the best young soccer players in the country. And she’s just getting started.
Caitlin will graduate from Georgetown University this spring after an exceptional four years. With Caitlin as their striker, the Hoyas won three Big East championships and made it to the College Cup (the final four of college soccer) twice. Last fall, Caitlin scored 18 times, tying a university record for single-season goals.
Caitlin’s road to success was paved with long practices, early-morning runs, drives to far-flung tournaments and no small amount of personal sacrifice. She heaps credit on her brothers, parents and coaches for believing in and supporting her along the way.
Her passion for soccer kicked off at age 4 and developed over years playing in the Wallingford town league, on premier teams, and at Foote and Choate Rosemary Hall, where her team won New England championships. She recalls missing a lot of sleepovers and social events—and even school once or twice—during her Foote years because of games or practices. But she never took her eye off her goals.
“With anything you are passionate about you have to be willing to make sacrifices,” she says.
At Georgetown, Caitlin is a government major with a Spanish minor. Balancing academics and a Division 1 sport is hardly easy, she admits, but time management skills learned at Foote and Choate have made it possible. This year, Caitlin was a First Team All-American and a Scholar All-American.
Last fall, Caitlin was named one of three finalists for the MAC Hermann Trophy, the soccer equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. “I had absolutely no idea I would go as far as being a finalist,” says Caitlin. “That seemed too surreal.” While she didn’t ultimately win, she was flown to St. Louis in January for the award ceremony, where each of the finalists was celebrated for her achievements.
With graduation imminent, Caitlin is looking for her next game. She plans to play soccer professionally, either with the National Women’s Soccer League or in a European league.
“Last year, as a junior, I realized that if I did not keep playing I would have only 20 more games and that didn’t seem like enough,” she says. “I just love soccer and I want to see how far I can take it.”
This article was originally published in the spring 2019 issue of Foote Prints magazine.