What happens when what you have been doing your whole life may be coming to an end? Playing a sport from a young age and making it to the college level is a dream for many athletes, but only a few are fortunate enough to make it that far.  Kaelyn Korte, an attacking midfielder on the Central Michigan University Soccer team has lived that dream, but she is now a senior in her last season playing for the Chippewa’s.

Korte grew up in Prior Lake, Minn. and started playing when she was just five-years-old.  Her parents recognized her talent after her first game in which she scored 10 goals.

Korte came to CMU as a sophomore after spending her freshman year at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.  “I knew the coach,” said Korte when asked what brought her to CMU.  CMU’s current women’s soccer coach, Peter McGahey, was Korte’s Olympic Development Program coach.  ODP is a program that works with talented, young players to develop them for the U.S. National teams.  Korte, also, joined the university to pursue a photojournalism degree.  “I wanted to pursue photojournalism and this is one of the top universities for it,” said Korte.

Upon her graduation in May with a photojournalism degree, Korte hopes to get an internship. She also wants to continue to pursue soccer.  “My dream would be to continue playing, possibly overseas,” said Korte.

It is unlikely the emotional impact of playing in her last game will sink in for Korte until it is actually here.  “Every day and every game I look at what’s in front of me,” says Korte.  Adding, “I am not really focused on the last game.”  Keeping her focus on each game and playing for that day is important to staying in the moment for now and finishing her college career strong.