The following is a spotlight profile on Alli Klug, Saint Louis University's nominee for the prestigous NCAA Woman of the Year award. The Atlantic 10 had 15 institutional nominees for the award (READ MORE). Each weekday until July 22, the Atlantic 10 will profile one of the institutional nominees.
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SNAPSHOT
Sport: Soccer
Position: Defender
Major: Exercise Science (Physical Therapy)
Minor: Inter-Professional Practice
Hometown: Webster Groves, Mo.
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Alli Klug
PROFILE
Alli Klug concluded her career this spring tied for the SLU record of 86 career games played and the first player in Atlantic 10 women’s soccer history to win a major postseason award (Defensive Player of the Year) three times. In 2019 alone, she was named SLU’s Most Outstanding Female Senior Student Athlete, United Soccer Coaches All-East Region First Team, and Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List. In addition to winning A-10 Defensive Player of the year, she earned First Team All-Conference, All-Championship Team, and All-Academic team honors. While becoming one of the most decorated athletes in program history, and studying Exercise science and physical therapy, Klug also found time to lead teams in Relay for Life, Campus Kitchen Project and St. Louis Special Needs Soccer Assiociation.
STORIES
Q&A WITH ALLI
What was the hardest obstacle you faced as a student-athlete?
The hardest obstacle I faced as a student-athlete was learning to balance a hectic schedule of school and soccer. As much as my high school prepared me for college, it was different coming in and traveling every other weekend for soccer. Luckily, SLU supplied me with numerous resources to help me navigate my way through my first year at SLU. From there, I grew as an independent student and was able to keep a balanced schedule.
If You Could Know the Absolute and Total Truth to One Question, What Question Would You Ask?
I feel like there are many questions I would love to know the answer to. Going in a more serious direction, I think I would ask whether or not we are we reunited with our loved ones in the afterlife. Going in a less serious direction, I would ask what next week’s lottery numbers are, some extra money would be really nice to have to get me through the rest of school/life.
Who or What has been your biggest inspiration or motivation?
I have three groups of people that have inspired me throughout my soccer career at SLU. The first is the group of seniors from the team my freshman year. They were supportive when they were on the team and even more supportive of the whole program once their soccer careers came to an end. They were some of the people that laid the foundation of the program. The second group of people that inspired me along my journey at SLU was my classmates. We developed a bond that was devoted to making each other better humans and even better soccer players. Whether it was a summer practice or the championship match of the A-10, we always strived to be better for each other. Lastly, my family is my other motivation for everything I have done. They have completely supported me throughout my whole soccer career. I couldn’t be more grateful for my parents who spent their weekends taking me to soccer tournaments when I was younger, and my brothers who wouldn’t have missed a game of SLU women’s soccer even if it was just on the TV.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received? The worst?
We have a family saying that we all like to live by that quotes, “Pretty good might not be good enough.” We collected this quote from a poem my dad uses to read to our family every summer before the school year. The poem, “Pretty Good” by Charles Osgood, was always a reminder from my parents that if we wanted to be great at something we must put in the appropriate time and effort to get to that level. Otherwise, we’ll just be pretty good at things and in the end that may not be enough. This saying is my favorite, and best piece of advice, because it reminds me to never stop striving for greatness in anything I want to do and that everything is possible by putting in a little extra work.
What hard goals have you set and/or accomplished?
The biggest goal that I had set for myself my freshman year at SLU, was completing and excelling in the six-year Physical Therapy Program while also having a wonderful soccer career. So far, I have complete one of the two, finishing my soccer career last fall, and am continuing working towards completing my physical therapy degree from SLU. My other goal that I had was winning an A-10 championship while being at SLU. Fortunately, I was able to accomplish this goal both my junior and senior year in the program.
What Was your favorite class/professor and why?
My favorite class so far is Basic Examination that I took this past fall. It was one of the hardest classes I have ever taken at SLU but covers fundamental physical therapy concepts. These concepts included measuring angles of the body with the goniometer, manual muscle testing, and specific screenings that physical therapist use every day. Even though I felt like I was going to have a panic attack before every test and lab practical, the support our professors and my PT class had for each other helped me push through it. Because of this, I loved the experience. I appreciated the professor that taught the class, as well as the many different professors who helped in lab. I am very grateful to be part of a program that cares about helping each student succeed to become a great physical therapist.