LAUREN PARTON – Tulsa Booker T. Washington
Northeastern State University soccer midfielder Lauren Parton has played soccer since she was little but still finds all the running one of the hardest parts of the game.
“I did some cross country in high school at Tulsa Washington but the nearly constant running you have to do as a midfielder is tough,” said Lauren. “I feel like I’m pretty fast and aggressive but sometimes the aggressive part is harder when you’re just 4-11,” laughed the junior soccer player.
Lauren says that choosing NSU as her home after high school was an easy choice.
“As soon as I came to the campus and saw how people interacted, I instantly fell in love. Tahlequah is a beautiful town and there area lot of places to go just to watch the sunset or go for a hike. In terms of soccer, I could tell right away that coach (Chase) Wooten really cares about the players, and he had so many good stories about previous players.”
A Health and Human Performance major, Parton says keeping up with studies is sometimes difficult but that you can always access it online or the faculty is more than willing to help.
“This year I had a knee injury that required surgery, but my professors were very understanding and worked with me during post-surgery when I couldn’t attend classes to keep my classwork up.”
As she was growing up, she had a role model that many young players like to pattern their game after.
“I’ve always admired Messi. He’s amazing and never gives up. You can watch him dribble through a million players and never leave his feet. He’s awesome,” said Parton.
Asked to describe herself in three words, Lauren said logical, confident and empathetic, which she felt was the most important of the three.
“I think you have to realize that everyone is going through different things and that everyone’s life is different from your own, so you have to try and empathize with them and support them.”
Carrying a 3.98 GPA, Lauren says in her spare time if she’s not out enjoying Tahlequah she likes to cook, read, and lift weights. And speaking of cooking, Lauren says one of her favorite foods is her mother’s Sinigang soup, which is a Filipino dish that she can still enjoy because Tulsa is just a stone’s throw from Tahlequah.
“It’s another reason why I chose NSU. I’m close enough to make a trip home for mom’s cooking and bring some back to share with my friends. If you want a college environment that feels like home, then make the same choice that I made and find your future at NSU.
