Macy Blackburn returns to Texas Tech soccer with new perspective
Time away from the game she loves provided Macy Blackburn with a new outlook.
Three games into her sophomore season, the 5-foot-7 defender went down with a season-ending injury. What started as a promising second year in a Texas Tech soccer uniform was halted before it could really get started.
Standing on the practice field at the John Walker Soccer Complex for the team's first practice of the 2023 season Tuesday morning, Blackburn was grateful to be back, ready for another chance at a second impression.
"It's nerve wracking," Blackburn said of her return, "just getting hurt last season, but I just think it was also kind of a blessing in disguise. You know, I got to see a whole other side of the game that I'd never really seen before, getting to support my teammates and grow kind of in that area of my game."
Forced to watch the Red Raiders finish tied for second in the Big 12, Blackburn learned about herself as a leader and as a person. She remained supportive of her teammates throughout the 2022 season, and enjoyed lacing up the cleats during the team's spring exhibitions.
Spring ball, though, pales in comparison to the thrills, rigors and pressures of the fall season that begins Aug. 14 with an exhibition at Denver. That's what Blackburn is counting on, and looking forward to.
"I feel like it just made me stronger," Blackburn said, "and made me more excited for this year, honestly, to work for my team and to just be a good teammate."
This year, being a good teammate means welcoming in a slew of new faces. In addition to transfers such as Olivia Draguicevich (Northwestern State) and Alex Kerr (Vanderbilt), the Red Raiders have eight true freshman on the 2023 team. Getting to know the newcomers — many of whom joined the team in the spring — has been part of the fun of Blackburn's return to action.
"That's so cool to get to start growing relationships," Blackburn said. "It's really unique to see girls come in and just automatically shake up the field, which is, that's what we want. We want freshmen that come in fight for that starting sport.
"We don't want you to come in and sit on the bench. We want to fight you to get on the field. So it's been really cool to just see them come in, especially the early ones, and the ones that have just came. They've done a really good job of ... just jumping in. It's like we've been family forever."
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Macy Blackburn returns Texas Tech soccer team with new perspective
