“It was a lot of shock at first-a lot of anger too. At this point, it is still hard to believe,” recalls Meghan Odom.
The Bulldog sophomore midfielder and the rest of her teammates will push their soccer cleats into the grass tonight at the University of Memphis soccer field while carrying heavy hearts and fond memories for a fallen teammate.
Three days after her nineteenth birthday, sophomore goalkeeper Courtney Hubert and 12-year-old sister Erin left this world in a fatal car crash on I-20 between Jackson and their hometown of Vicksburg.
Head coach Neil McGuire was driving home May 13, thinking about the optimistic spring in which the Bulldogs had four shut-outs and only allowed five goals in seven games, when he checked his voicemail. McGuire had several messages from Mississippi State athletic director Larry Templeton and members of the community.
Upon reaching Templeton, McGuire received the news.
“Mr. Templeton is a man of character and is very supportive of this soccer program, and I would have expected nothing less at a moment like that,” said McGuire. “That evening I called all of the players. It was and has been extremely difficult for the girls and this staff to deal with the loss of Courtney.”
The day before the team assembled for fall drills, the players gathered at McGuire’s home to discuss their emotions and outlook on playing this season in memoriam.
For every indentation that each player’s cleats make into the field, there will be an invisible set of footprints made by Hubert’s spirit.
“We decided that we’ll have a thing called our twelfth man in our hearts and minds cause that is where she is,” explained Odom.
Sophomore midfielder Emily Meyers says having her other teammates has helped the recovery process and thinks that having Courtney peer over their shoulders during matches will help the team when times get tough.
“I think it will help us play all the way through the game because we can play for her. It will motivate us when we are tired,” said Meyers.
Getting this far has not been easy for the Lady Bulldogs. McGuire noted the importance of maintaining and sustaining the emotional health of the team.
“I am aware that the team has gone through an emotional time, and will continue to do so,” said McGuire. “When they are not ready to go (through drills), we just sit down and we chat and then we get back on track. The emotional stability of the team is
always at the forefront with what we do and will remain that way throughout the season.”
“Right now, we want to honor Courtney, and in order to do that the players have to have a certain drive on the field. So, the team chemistry and work ethic have been fantastic thus far. We are motivated to do well this season to honor someone who is very special to us.”
McGuire’s awareness of the magnitude of this situation for his players stems from the difficulty that he himself has experienced.
“Without question, it is the toughest thing I have gone through in my coaching career, or life. Nothing else comes close,” explained McGuire. “When you lose a person who you know, respect, and care for there is no comparison. It’s almost unimaginable.”
Courtney Hubert’s spirit and memory will be in Starkville Sunday when her teammates host South Alabama at 1 p.m.