Printed in Clay Today on November 8, 2012 (original no longer available online)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Carson Pickett, a Florida State freshman soccer defender, has spent the fall surrounded by all things new.
The Fleming Island native, who attended St. John’s Country Day School, was like any other typical incoming first-year college player. She was adjusting to a new school, a new city, new academic standards, all while learning a new position on a new team.
Luckily, she said, “I had a great high school and club team so the pace was already set at a higher tempo than the average, but still college doesn’t compare.”
That great high school team won state championships three times during her tenure. At FSU, she’s running onto the field as the Seminoles’ top substitute for a team that was ranked No. 1 in the country after winning its first 13 matches. Over the next five games, however, FSU dropped two matches – 1-0 at Miami and 3-2 at Boston College – and finished the season ranked No. 4.
At 16-2 overall, FSU took first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. On Oct. 28, FSU pulled off a 4-0 revenge win over Boston College in the ACC Tournament. Pickett logged 42 minutes in that match.
Pickett set multiple records as an attacker in her high school days, among a lengthy list of high honors and achievements. At FSU, she’s playing defense. “The transition wasn’t too bad,” says Pickett, “because in high school, I still had [the] responsibility to defend or I wasn’t doing my job.”
It has come as no surprise, she said, that the team has performed so well. “It’s been a blessing. We have been working hard all year to get where we are and were prepared for any challenge to come.”
At FSU, Pickett has logged more minutes than any other substitute player on the team. She says, “I really read the game and I pay attention to every detail so that when my time comes I am ready to go in and keep the high tempo… I am more technical than aggressive so [it] pays off to have a good touch.”
She’s scored twice this season, assisting on three others.
What happens on the field isn’t her only concern in her first year away from home – classes, travel, practices, not to mention team matches. “We definitely don’t have a lot of time to hang out with friends or go to the football games. Realistically, my best friends are on the soccer team, so I am lucky.
“We are gone a lot,” she says, “but the biggest thing is to try my best to stay ahead so that when it is time to leave I already have my priorities straight and I am prepared to speak to my teachers and figure out my schedule with them.”
Born without her left forearm, Pickett seems notoriously upbeat and self-sufficient, but it it’s not easy for opponents to ignore her missing arm.
“I think that they are more confused and concerned than they are worried about how physical I am,” she said. “It definitely comes as a surprise to most players, but it only takes them a couple plays with the ball at my feet to realize that I am just a normal player – just missing one arm.”
Opponents and observers might find it interesting that Pickett doesn’t take advantage of possible surprise by an opponent. “I don’t actually take advantage of my [missing] arm at all,” she said.
Referees might find it difficult to blow a whistle against a player for pushing when it might seem impossible, missing an arm and all. She said, “But it is nice to give [opposing players] a little push that I know they don’t expect.”
FSU next plays on Friday (Nov. 2) in the ACC semifinals in Cary, N.C. At 16-2, in the mix with Stanford, UCLA, Penn State, and Brigham Young among other top-ranked teams in the nation, the Seminoles seem to be forging straight ahead. There seems to quite an outlook for success at FSU this season.
Ranked No. 1 earlier this season, the ‘Noles were picked by conference coaches to finish third in the ACC this season behind Duke and Wake Forest. Head coach Mark Krikorian seemed to have different ideas.
Pickett has been on the field when FSU has knocked out No. 22 Florida, No. 2 Duke, No. 14 Wake Forest, No. 13 Virginia, No. 19 Virginia Tech, No. 9 North Carolina and No. 9 Univ. Central Florida, among other major sides this season. Since most of those matches were low-scoring, 1-0, outcomes, Pickett was often in the midst of the action.
She scored and assisted in a 7-0 win over Maryland on Oct. 4. In a 5-0 win over Jackson State on Sept. 21, Pickett netted another goal in 71 minutes.
A future in soccer?
“I would love to play pro soccer one day,” she said, “but for now I am focusing on Florida State Soccer and how to get better from day to day.”
Photo credit: Larry Novey, FSU Athletics; used with permission