By Collin Bolebruch
Kathy Peterson-Ross is rare. She’s one of the few athletes at Plattsburgh State to play two sports, and one of the fewer that play in back-to-back seasons. The junior — who is five feet 11 inches tall — has incredible size on both the soccer pitch and basketball court.Â
Kathy is a hard-nosed midfielder who played the most soccer of her collegiate career this season. Days after her season ended, she stepped back onto basketball to be one of their most tenacious rebounders.
Her roommates and teammates say she’s a great time. Of course they’d say that — the political science major is always baking them treats.
- Especially after earning a bigger role with soccer, what is the short turnaround between seasons like? Does it take long to adjust?
Our soccer season ended on a Saturday when we found out that we did not make the playoffs, which was very disappointing for me and my team. Basketball started for me on Monday but was already a few weeks into their season. It was tough processing the disappointment of not making the playoffs in soccer, but it was nice to step into an atmosphere where everyone was so upbeat and motivated for a new season. I loved being able to see my basketball teammates again on the court and meet all the new freshmen who are great. The transition is never easy physically or mentally but having supportive teammates makes it so much easier.
- What is your favorite thing to bake, and why do you enjoy it? Do you ever make things for your roommates/teammates/friends?
My personal favorite things to bake are cookies, but I generally just bake whenever it is in season. I like to bake on Sundays because it’s our day off and a good way to unwind and relax. I always like to bake things for my roommates, they are the only ones that are consistently brave enough to try all the stuff I bake. One Sunday I baked slutty brownies and went to lunch and when I came back I found out Hannah Meyers ate the whole tray.
- What do you hope to do with a political science degree?
I honestly have no idea what I want to do with a political science degree yet. I’m hoping to go to law school but I’m very unsure about what I want to do with my future. I try to stay in the moment as best I can and enjoy the time I have with my best friends and teammates. I really want to make the most of my college experience and just do the things that make me happy. I know that whatever I choose to do it will be something that feels right when the time comes but for now I’m just living in the moment.
- Between both sports, which specific skill in either is the hardest to master?
In soccer I would say the hardest skill to master is your first touch and then disputing the ball under pressure especially for my position as a defensive center midfielder. It’s one thing to do this on an open field and a whole other thing to do with defenders all around.
