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CLEAR Temp: 90 °F Wind: NW at 10 mph Friday, August 29, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend August 11, 2003 Lu Crenshaw has overcome a serious car accident in June of 1999 to fashion an outstanding soccer career with St. Mary�s College. Mail Tribune / Andrew Mariman Given a chance, she converts Medford’s Lu Crenshaw plays her way onto amateur national soccer squad By TIM PYLE Mail Tribune Like a striker who pounces on a defense’s one mistake to bury the match’s only goal, Lu Crenshaw makes the most of opportunities. The 1999 North Medford High graduate has overcome a serious car accident in June of ‘99 to fashion an outstanding career with the St. Mary’s College women’s soccer team. With a year of eligibility remaining, Crenshaw is climbing the Gaels’ all-time ranks, sitting fourth in career goals (24) and fifth in career points (61). This summer, the 22-year-old forward has bagged yet another achievement, earning a spot in a U.S. national pool of amateur players that will likely compete against national teams in advance of the upcoming Women’s World Cup. Advertisement "It’s like a farm team to the national team," Crenshaw says, "or a national B team." If not for a St. Mary’s teammate who informed her that the California North squad was in need of a forward before regional camp, Crenshaw would have never even begun the process that culminated with her selection to the national pool in early August. "It was by fluke," Crenshaw says. "Some girl got hurt, and I got asked to come up and play. So I totally feel like I was at the right place at the right time at the right tournament to get picked for this. "There’s so many players that are so much better than me that could play there, but I just happened to go to the one tournament. ... I feel really lucky." Modesty aside, Crenshaw so impressed coaches at the regional tryouts in early July at Whidby Island outside Seattle that she made the team as a central midfielder, a position she’s never played. "They split us up into teams, and they said, ‘You’re gonna play center mid,’" says Crenshaw, who was selected to the 17-women team from a pool of 60. "I kind of whispered to my coach, ‘I’ve never played here before, so bear with me.’ "After I got picked (to the regional squad) ... I called (the Cal North coach) and said, ‘Did I get chosen as a center midfielder or a forward? What am I gonna be playing on this team?’ And he said, ‘No, they want you at center mid.’ So I went home and found as many soccer tapes as I could and tried to watch the center mids, because I had no idea what I was doing." Crenshaw, who possesses outstanding speed and a goal-scorer’s knack, moved on to the national camp at the University of Houston from July 27-Aug. 3 and again dazzled. Though details of her national squad’s schedule are a bit hazy at this point, Crenshaw has been told the team will likely play national sides from other countries from Sept. 8-18, shortly before the Sept. 20-Oct. 12 World Cup kicks off. Crenshaw, who tallied a program-best 71 goals and dished 43 assists during her Black Tornado career, also played for the semi-pro East Bay (Calif.) Power of the Women’s Premier Soccer League this summer. As if that weren’t enough, the 5-foot-3 dynamo got in a handful of practices with WUSA’s San Jose CyberRays. She says those experiences left her with the realization she’s got work to do to reach that level. But following her last go-round with the NCAA Division I Gaels in Moraga, Calif., this year, Crenshaw — who has earned all-West Coast Conference accolades of some sort in each of her three seasons — just might get the chance to catch on in the WUSA. And an opportunity is all she probably needs. Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times