University of Tennessee Athletics
LADY VOL PROFILES: KAYLA LOCKABY
November 05, 2003 | Soccer
Nov. 5, 2003
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
Most players thrive on receiving awards and honors. They wear medals and rings; display trophies and wait anxiously as new recognitions are announced each week. Not Lady Vol midfielder Kayla Lockaby. Not now, not in high school, not ever.
Most student-athletes would list being named a Parade Magazine All-American as a high school player as their greatest accomplishment. For the junior from Hamilton, Ohio, that is not really the case
"It sounds bad," Lockaby said, "but I did not actually even know that it was a magazine and that they had a team. Here I was, just living my life, then suddenly, they sent me a thing that said I had been named to the team."
Her awards are many. As a Lady Vol, Lockaby was named Soccer Buzz Third-Team All-Central Region in 2002, in addition to Honorable Mention All-SEC, Academic All-SEC, Lady Vol Athlete of the Week (9/10/02) and to the All-Tournament Team at the 2002 Clemson/Nike Invitational and the 2003 First Tennessee Lady Vol Classic. There is one honor that softened her stance on awards, being named as Tennessee's Most Valuable Player by her teammates two years in a row.
"I don't really go by what anyone else says," Lockaby said. "When your team nominates you for an award, it is probably the best thing that can happen to you. Even though you may not always get recognized in other areas, you know that your team sees that you are playing your hardest for them."
Based on her performance thus far in the 2003 season, Lockaby could be positioning herself for another run at the award. Entering play at this week's SEC Tournament, Lockaby has 14 points on six goals and two assists. Her two match-winning goals put her in second place on the squad. The midfielder's right foot slayed the mighty Gators of Florida on Oct. 10, taking a Lyndsey Patterson pass at 20:43 and putting the Lady Vols up for good in its 2-0 conquest. The win put Tennessee in the SEC East's driver's seat and set the team up for its first-ever SEC regular season championship.
Even more impressive, Lockaby plays while looking up to her fellow players; literally looking up. At an even five-feet tall, she ties with Florida's Stephanie Freeman as the conference's shortest player. It would seem that a lack of physical stature would be a disadvantage at one of collegiate soccer's top programs, but the three-year starter does not see it that way. In fact, she sees it as an advantage.
"I do not think height really matters in soccer," Lockaby said. "When you are short you are quicker than everyone else. It's easier to defend people. I can switch directions really fast."
According to her head coach, what Lockaby lacks in size, she more than makes up for in heart.
"Kayla is definitely a spark plug for our team," Lady Vol skipper Angela Kelly said. "She comes out for every practice and every game ready to give 150 percent for her team. She has enough heart to fuel the whole team."
Another accomplishment under Lockaby's belt is the ability to always do just the right thing for the camera. While she claims she does not plan the poses, evidence shows otherwise.
"They just take pictures at the wrong times," she said. "I am a pretty normal person."
Like it or not, with the spotlight firmly in place on Kayla Lockaby, more honors, awards and even the occasional goofy picture are sure to be in store.
