North Carolina State University Athletics
Welcome Back Jennie Krauser
7/11/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
July 11, 2012
RALEIGH, N.C. - A couple of weeks away from pre-season training camp and Jennie Krauser is chomping at the bit for the upcoming NC State soccer season to get underway.
A rising red-shirt sophomore, Krauser has not played a competitive game for the Wolfpack since October of her freshman season back in 2010.
After a superb first season in Raleigh that saw her tie for the team lead with 14 points and five goals, the Irvine, Calif., native tore her Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in April 2011 during the spring practice season.
"I have matching patella tendon scars," said Krauser in a somewhat amusing fashion.
The Wolfpack striker suffered the same injury back in high school on the right knee. Although familiar with the rehab process, it didn't make it any easier for Krauser the second time through.
"It's both challenging and frustrating going through the rehab process," explained Krauser. "No one really knows how tough it is until you're put in that situation."
After having the surgery done by the same doctor that performed the first one out in California, she spent the entire 2011 summer rehabbing on the west coast.
Once back to campus for the start of fall semester, Krauser had to overcome another hurdle. Sitting on the sidelines as a spectator.
"It was the hardest thing ever, especially the first couple practices," Krauser said. "It was easier being home doing rehab, but once you’re at practice and forced to sit it makes for a very long two hours.
"Knowing I wanted to be out there so badly was tough."
Cleared for contact in mid-October, Krauser became very appreciative of the small things that she took for granted just months before.
"Once I was able to run and do some of the warm up stuff with my teammates, that seemed like the most exciting thing ever. Just 15 minutes of warm up was the highlight of my day."
She was able to compete in the spring season earlier this year and played a few games against other colleges. Krauser admitted to being a little nervous after going through such a long rehab process.
This summer Krauser is back on the pitch playing for the Fredericksburg Impact of the W-League.
She has been working on getting back into game shape and focusing on her one-on-one technique as she strives to get back to the form she displayed for the Wolfpack in 2010.
"Getting the feel of playing and getting comfortable on the field again has been important," said Krauser. "Making the forward runs off the ball can't be accomplished in practice, so getting game time has been very beneficial."
With her weekends filled up with the Impact this summer, Krauser spends the remainder of the week in Raleigh. She is taking one class and is also working out and playing pick-up games with her teammates.
Expectations are not only high for a program coming off its best season in nearly a decade, but also for Krauser herself.
"I want to be back and better than I was as a freshman," exclaimed Krauser. "Hopefully take it to the next level this year, compete more and get more wins."
The next level will equate to postseason play for a club that was one of the first teams left out of last fall's NCAA Tournament field.
"It's mandatory that we have to make that cut. We will sit down as a team in pre-season and make our team goals and expectations and it will be at the top of the list!"
One addition to the program that will certainly help the team going forward is the brand-new Wolfpack Training Center (WTC) that features both a synthetic field and a natural grass field that replicates the Pack's gameday site, Dail Soccer Field.
"I love it. It's so nice. I love the turf part because we're able to use it year-round," Krauser said.
"I'm sure it will help in recruiting. Not many programs have something that nice that players can go and practice on."
And asked what her emotions are like knowing that the season is less than three weeks away?
"Super excited! All of us are working hard now because we know how important the fall pre-season is and getting our bodies ready now with rest and eating healthy will make us that much better during the season."
