Springfield MO Soccer

I’d like to take a moment to introduce you to one of the local referees. Lacy Kendrick is likely a familiar face to anyone involved in soccer at the Lake Country Soccer Dome, and she was part of the crew that worked last summer’s Southwest All-Star Game. She’s pictured with Ryan Cooksey and Andy Wilkinson in a photo I grabbed from Facebook (friend me if you’d like) Click on the photo to see a larger version.

That’s only part of her story however. She was interviewed by KOLR 10 last month and I’d like to share that part of her story with you as well. It’s not an easy story to tell, I don’t feel qualified, but it’s an important story.

“I referee soccer at two different places, work down in Branson and do personal training,” Lacy explained her work schedule. This 23-year-old also has a full load of classes and goals at Missouri State University.

“I am planning on graduating with a bachelor’s in psychology and minors in business and Latin and then applying for Ph.D. programs in psychology,” she said.

Plus she volunteers on several state legislative committees, including the Taskforce on Children’s Justice. “I think I can provide some input that normal researchers wouldn’t be able to,” she explained.

Her opinions, especially on foster care are influenced by her past.

“I was really, really scared,” she remembered. When she was 15, Lacy and her five siblings were taken from a dangerous home and placed in foster care.

Here’s the entire story, including the video clip from the news story.

I did explore a bit more some of Lacy’s background in soccer which is below.

How did you get involved in soccer? I was fortunate enough to be able to play for 2 years in high school, though because of my prior situation it was never an option for me to play on a club team.
In particular, as a referee? i started refereeing at the YMCA for fun, and took the USSF certification class initially to get a pay raise and to better understand the game. After I understood the game better, I began to get involved in refereeing at Lake Country. I tried to start out slow, but the assignors threw me into some more advanced games and have loved it ever since.
When was that? Fall 2006
Why do you keep doing it? I love the game of soccer and will continue to be involved in any way I can. I love the physical and mental challenge it provides. It’s also a good opportunity to practice conflict resolution skills which will be part of my practice as a counselor someday I still play indoor and pick up games whenever I can.
Do you have longer term goals in refereeing? I hope to keep advancing to my full potential. I am going to start my first season as a MSHSAA referee this year which I hear is a different sort of challenge. My goals for the next few years are to get upgraded to a 7 & and hopefully get involved in refereeing at the college level.
Are any of your siblings active in soccer? My youngest sister plays for the park board in Nixa (she’s 9)
Do you plan on staying in Springfield as you pursue your advanced degree? Unfortunately there are no PhD programs in Psychology in the Springfield area, but I am sure that soccer and refereeing will continue to be a part of my life wherever I go.

Lacy was a member of the Ozark Tigers soccer team in 2000-2001. That team won districts both years and made it to the state playoffs in 2001. One of her teammates was Roxanne Rasti (Drury 2007) and a story I need to delve into further before all those ladies have moved onto bigger and better.