Kim Clemmer and Dana Costello of Jackson will be watching the U.S. women’s soccer team in action at the Summer Olympics in London later this month with keen interest beyond the fact that they also plays the sport at Monmouth University in West Long Branch.
Clemmer, who is preparing for her sophomore season as a center fullback at Monmouth, and Costello, a midfielder who scored five goals and had 10 assists as Monmouth finished 11-8 in 2011, got a surprise when former Monmouth player and current U.S. team member Christie Rampone stopped by in the spring at the alumnae soccer game.
“It was awesome. We were so excited,” Clemmer said about Rampone’s visit. “Watching the [soccer matches in the] Olympics will be so much more fun.”
“Seeing the time and work that Christie Rampone puts in really motivates me,” Costello said. “It is always exciting if you are playing soccer every time the Olympics comes around.”
Dana Costello (21) and Kim Clemmer (23) of Jackson are two current Monmouth University soccer players who will be watching former Monmouth soccer player Christie Rampone in action with the U.S. Women’s National Team when the soccer action gets under way later this month at the Summer Olympics in London. PHOTOS BY DAVID SCHOFIELD Clemmer said there was some surprise when Rampone took the field for the alumnae game.
“We were so nervous because she’s such a great player and we were so careful because we didn’t want to see her injured,” Clemmer said with a laugh.
Rampone played a bit that day, took a few touches and came out for the rest of the game.
Clemmer said Rampone also visited with the Hawks at a home game last fall and spoke with the players, which was an inspirational moment for Clemmer and Costello and their teammates.
“She just has a way of speaking to you as a motivator and that if you want something, it’s not handed to you. You have to work for it,” Costello said of Rampone’s remarks to the Hawks. “She said you have to be a team and not to play as individuals.”
The London games will be the fourth Olympics for Rampone, who is the most capped active player in the world, fourth all time.
At Monmouth (1993-96), Rampone played in 80 games and scored 79 goals and added 54 assists. She was Monmouth’s record holder for goals, assists and points in a season at the time she ended her college playing career.
Clemmer and Costello needed to think about the motivational push Rampone provided as both young women had minor knee surgery last month.
Both said they are walking around somewhat more comfortably these days.
After suffering through pain in her right knee during the spring, Clemmer underwent surgery on June 26 to have scar tissue removed.
“It’s really minor, but this was the biggest thing I’ve had in my career. I’m walking around fine now and the swelling is almost gone,” Clemmer said last week. She began physical therapy on July 2 and said she will not be playing this summer for the Jersey Shore Boca U22 team as planned, but will be ready for the start of Monmouth’s preseason activities later this month along with Costello, who played with Clemmer at Jackson Memorial High School.
Costello scored five goals and added 10 assists and Clemmer scored a goal as both former Jaguars started every game for the Hawks in 2011. Monmouth will open its 2012 season in late August at home against Rutgers under the lights.
“School has not started at that time, so it won’t be like we have students there who would be coming over to the field, and we are trying to get people out for the game,” Clemmer said of the Hawks’meeting with the Scarlet Knights.
Clemmer said she is adjusting to not seeing the friends she sees on campus every day during school year. She is looking forward to returning to campus as a veteran.
“It’s nice going back to something where you know what to expect, because last year I was nervous not knowing what to expect,” Clemmer said. “Last year there were a lot of surprises, good surprises. Now it seems normal. The biggest difference was just the intensity of everything. It was so surprising how fast the season went by. I’ve been back in Jackson and now I’m just really excited to get back to school. I know what level of fitness it has to be and the level of strength. I know how to play with these players, and now there are a lot of new freshmen.”
She said the focus of her off-season work is fine-tuning her soccer skills and improving her fitness.
Costello said she started running again last week, but regrets losing the time she would have devoted to conditioning while recovering from the surgery.
For the 2012 season, Costello said she wants to use better field vision despite leading the team in points last fall. “I want to get them [her teammates] to the point where they can finish,” Costello said.
She said that includes better placement by her of re-starts — free kicks and corner kicks.
“I want to be more consistent with that,” Costelllo said.
Clemmer said she will work on delivering the long ball, “just making sure I hit the ball with the right part of the foot. I was opening the foot out at the last minute. I also have been seeing how my [other] plant foot hits.”
Her tenacious defense will be evident as Monmouth looks to qualify for and win the Northeast Conference Tournament this fall.
“I thought we had a really good year [in 2011], but it was disappointing at the end,” Clemmer said, referring to a 2-1 NEC Tournament semifinal loss to Long Island University. “I can’t wait to get back to that point and win that tournament.”