Sophie Macadre Feature: A Part of the Spartan Family
10/18/2017 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
By Cassi White, MSU Athletic Communications Student Assistant
Seventeen and a half hours there. Seventeen and a half hours back. That's the length of the flight that Sophie Macadre takes when flying to and from her home of Wellington, New Zealand.
In the summer of 2014, Macadre packed up her bags and made that flight for the first time. She began a whole new chapter of her life. New home, new places, new people, new accents, new food, new coaches, new teammates, new training techniques, and a new style of the game she loves to play: field hockey.
"Coming to the U.S. was kind of pushing myself out of my comfort zone a little bit, but my family was very supportive of me," Macadre explained. "It's been the most amazing experience. Four years in America, a Big Ten school, an amazing school, amazing team, amazing coaches. I couldn't ask for anything better."
As the oldest of four siblings, being a part of a family was a huge priority for Macadre. That's why Michigan State was her school of choice.
"I came here with no family, all of them are at home," she said. "Coming into this environment, it's amazing. They're very, very welcoming and if you ever need anything, even if it's not your own team, we're still a Spartan family. Anyone in the Spartan athletic department will look out for you no matter what it is."
Along with a family atmosphere being important, she knew she would need a support system to help her through the good times and the bad.
Her teammates and coaches exceeded her expectations.
She's with her teammates for meals, practices, workouts, meetings and even classes. They go through thick and thin together.
Her coach, Helen Knull, is familiar with her situation being that she is from Scotland.
"Being international, you're homesick and you struggle and you need that support system," Macadre said. "When you have teammates that are your best friends and a coach that's basically like a mom to you, it's really amazing."
Not only were her teammates and coaches supportive off the field, but they pushed her to be her best on the field as well.
"We have a saying on our team called 'Earn the Jersey.' Nothing is given to you, especially as a Spartan. If you want something you have to work for it. My freshman year, I didn't really play a lot. I learned that hard work gets you where you want to go and where you want to be."
With that "Earn the Jersey" mentality, she improved as each year went on. Her sophomore year, Macadre scored a team high 19 points. By her junior year she exceeded her number of points by three, making it 22. With two games to go in the regular season, the senior has already tallied a team-high 19 points.
With her teammates by her side, she has every intention of improving by the end of her senior year as well.
Although improving is a goal of hers, she shares a common goal with her teammates: to win together. They all understand the power of their Spartan Family, and they all want to win collectively as a unit.
"I think this team this year is the best bunch of girls that we've had," Macadre said of her team. "We all work really hard, we keep each other on track and we are on the same mission."
"Once you're a Spartan you realize how lucky you are because not a lot of people get this opportunity. It's a very limited opportunity and you just have to take it and go. We realize that, and just want to win for our team and for the rest of our Spartan family."
