LSHS alum earns honorable mention

BY CHUCK TUCK | JOURNAL REPORTER Amy Korzelius is a 2006 Lake Stevens High School graduate who has found her place in a world filled by male dominated sports figures and rising female athletes.
As women’s soccer continues to flourish every year, new stars emerge from high schools and colleges from all parts of the country, and Lake Stevens continues its run of producing top-class athletes in every field.
Separately academics and athletics can be challenging, but the difficulties can be insurmountable for any student let alone a star athlete when they are away from home and familiar surroundings of family and friends.

Tami Korzelius says that her daughter Amy is the middle child of five children. .

“They all say they were the favorite child,” Tami said.

The excitement filled the Korzelius household as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced its selections for the 2007 NAIA Women's Soccer All-American teams and Amy was named All American Honorable Mention as selected by the NAIA Women's Soccer All-American Selection Committee.
According to Tami, her daughter started her climb to becoming an All American Honorable Mention in women’s soccer when she was only ten years old.

“When she first started playing they told her she wasn’t fast enough, so she started running just so she could get faster and she still does it now,” said Tami adding, “She doesn’t really like to run, but she does it because she knows she needs to.”

Not only is Amy a top athlete, but she has done very well in school garnering a scholarship to her current college in Portland, OR.
“She applied for a couple of scholarships, but this coach happened to see her play -- he came to see somebody else then she (Amy) wanted to play for him,” Tami said.

Amy has always strived to be her best and do her best according to Tami, and often times goes out of her way to help others.

“She’s constantly on the go, and always trying to make sure that everybody else is happy, she’s that kind of kid,” Tami said.

With plans to go to med school, Amy is constantly in motion never slowing down to take a breath.

“As far as school goes, she enjoys doing her school work and being with friends, but she doesn’t do a lot of movies or that kind of stuff because she’s usually just busy,” Tami said.

Whenever she can, Amy returns home to visit but works during the holidays to earn money for school and her savings.

“She works when she can,” Tami added.

She even coaches the girls soccer team when she’s home during the summer.

“In the summer she coaches the little girls’ soccer team in Lake Stevens,” Tami said adding, “You can’t make her look bad, she’s just a good kid, there’s nothing wrong with her and I couldn’t wish for a better kid.”

Amy’s determination and focus on soccer is so strong, but she has always been a natural when it comes to playing soccer.

“Soccer is her love, she just loves to play soccer and that’s her passion. There are lots of kids that play soccer, but she loves to play soccer, I can’t explain it more than that,” Tami said.

Tami recalls one day long ago when her daughter came home with her dream.

“It was just natural, one day she came home and she wanted to play soccer,” she said.

Saying that it was all Amy’s doing.

“It’s all self-motivation,” Tami said adding, “I was never much of a pushy mother.

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