Huntsville incident not top priority in Giles’ choice
Last week’s shooting on the campus of the University of Alabama at Huntsville may have some, little, or no influence whatsoever on the college recruiting decision facing Ida Baker senior Christine Giles.
In December, Giles verbally committed to accept a soccer scholarship to UAH (Division II) with coach Tafadzwa Ziyenge. In fact, that national scholarship letter-of-intent is in Giles’ hands waiting to be signed with a deadline of March 11.
“I liked the coach,” said Giles. “I like how we connected, I like his philosophy and we have similar goals on the soccer field.”
Just one problem. A week before UAH professor Amy Bishop opened fire on fellow professors – killing three and wounding three others at a faculty meeting – Ziyenge left the school to take the women’s soccer coaching job at Arkansas State. Ziyenge’s departure immediately caused Giles to rethink her verbal commitment.
This weekend, Giles is visiting Ziyenge and the Arkansas State campus in Jonesboro, Ark.
“I’m excited about the visit because it’s another new place and it’s a step up from D2,” Giles said. “It’s (D1) the opportunity I wanted from the start of the recruiting process.
“The shooting could happen at any university, or any time or place because there are people in the world that are like that,” she added.
Both schools offer biology or pre-med programs which Giles wants to study.
There’s another twist involving UAH. Mohammed El-Zare, who was director of coaching with Cape Coral Soccer Association for three years before moving on to the University of South Alabama in 2002 and knows Giles well from her competitive youth soccer days, is a candidate for the Huntsville job.
“I talked to Mohammed and he said not to go to any school just because he was there,” Giles said. “He told me to go to a Division 1 school if I get the chance, but if he got the job at Huntsville he would like to have me play there.”
The recruiting process has been a bit rocky for Giles, but she said it mostly has been a lot of fun. While she prefers to play soccer at a D1 school, she drew interest from a number of D2 and D3 schools. Ziyenge saw her Island Coast Soccer Alliance team play a tournament in Raleigh, N.C., which ultimately resulted in the scholarship offer.
“UCF and North Florida were interested, along with Hollins, Montevallo, Tusculum, Davis & Elkins and some others,” said Dave Giles, Christine’s father. “It was too late in the game, though. All wanted her, but (D1 and D2) scholarships were gone. She would have to walk-on.”
Christine admits she is leaning toward Arkansas State, but more for the coach than the shooting incident. The school also seems to have the inside track in the Giles household.
“I am leaning toward Arkansas State because it is D1 and she has the ability to play at that level,” said Dave Giles. “Her mother would like to see her at a D2 because of its size and more family aspects. Christine likes the coach and I don’t think she could lose if she went there, but she has to keep her options open.
“I know it (shooting) was an isolated incident, but the positive side of it was some of the kids there called Christine about it even before it hit the news. The shooting is something that is not likely to recur.”
Before the Huntsville offer came along, Christine thought a scholarship might not come her way.
“For a brief time I thought I would have to change my focus, or make a new list of schools,” she said. “It was my dream to go to North Carolina at one time, but my sister is at FSU and I wanted to go there with her for awhile. I just want to find the right fit for me. Huntsville might be the one, but I realize I could fit in somewhere else, too, like Arkansas State.”
Even if the Huntsville shooting incident bears no influence on the final decision, Christine is aware of the consequences of such a decision.
“I just want to make the right decision because it is the next four years of my life,” she said.