FOND DU LAC, Wis. — A young woman from Alaska recently moved to Wisconsin to fulfill her goal of playing soccer in college.
But that journey, which has included some health challenges, wasn’t easy.
Playing soccer is like a form of therapy for Kylee Verkuilen, who’s a freshman at Marian University in Fond du Lac. She’s a midfielder on the school’s soccer team.
In order to play the sport she loves, she has to stay extra aware and in tune with her body. That’s because she has a heart condition.
“My body has to work a lot harder to match up to other people,” said Verkuilen. “But I never really saw it as a hindrance. I just always kind of played through it and now I feel like I’m able to compete fairly well with everybody.”
Verkuilen was born with two holes in her heart and underwent open heart surgery at just 2 years old. Her recovery and resilience are noteworthy. Verkuilen gets regular checkups and has never let her heart condition stop her.
Besides soccer, Verkuilen said she is passionate about helping others with health issues. At Marian University, she has plans to major in radiology.
“I have repeatedly been in a position in a hospital where you’re getting worked on by people,” said Verkuilen. “I kind of know what it’s like and how to help people in that situation.”
Chris Gaskin, the head coach of the women’s soccer team at Marian Univesity, said he didn’t know the extent of Verkuilen’s health battles. He said that’s a testament to how hard she works.
“She’s come in and just hit the ground running and is absolutely crushing it,” said Gaskin. “Whether she starts or doesn’t start, she comes in, and you know what you’re going to get. I think the more the season goes on, the better she will get. Our freshman group, and just the team overall, will steadily improve.”
Due to her heart condition, Verkuilen was never supposed to be an athlete. She said she hopes her determination to play soccer shows people going through a tough time that there are often still ways to persevere and pursue your dreams.
“You never know what you’re capable of until you go out and do it,” said Verkuilen. “Trust your body and trust what it’s telling you. So, if you go out and you are trying to do it, and then you feel like this is wrong, listen to it. But be willing to step outside of the bounds of what you thought you could do.”