Years Played: 2006-09
Coaches played for: Steve Barrett / Carol Bonnes
Hometown / High School: Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada / St. Paul
Position: Midfield
Career Stats: 78 games played, 73 points, 19 goals, 35 assists
Record as a Player: 46-33-2
Honors: Four-time All-WVIAC selection (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009), WVIAC Senior Scholar-Athlete
Coaching: Concord Graduate Assistant (2010, 2011).
Few people have been directly associated with the Concord women's soccer program longer than Katie Cuviello. She was a part of the team for six out of the program's 15 years of existence. After a historic playing career, she was a multi-time All-WVIAC honoree and is still CU's all-time leader in assists (35), Cuviello went on to become a graduate assistant at Concord for two years.
In addition to being the Mountain Lions' all-time leader in assists, Cuivello also scored 19 goals in her career and led Concord to a 46-33-2 record as a player including back-to-back trips to the WVIAC championship game. She was also a standout in the classroom and was named a Liberty Mutual Senior Scholar Athlete at the end of her academic career.
Since leaving Concord, Cuviello has returned to her hometown of Niagara Falls to work for a non-profit organization.
Head coach Stefani Workman recently caught up further with Cuviello about her time as a Concord soccer player and coach.
1. What are you doing now?
I am working for a non-profit charitable organization called Project SHARE, as a client support worker. At Project SHARE we help people who live on a low income by offering services and programs that assist with providing basic needs. It's amazing how many people we are able to help, which makes it such a rewarding job!
I am still playing soccer and lucky enough for me, with about five other CU alums. We play together throughout the year in both 6v6 co-ed winter leagues and in an 11v11 adult women's summer league. I am also helping coach an under-14 girl's travel team in Niagara Falls.
2. What was your most memorable moment from your Concord athletic experience?
My most memorable moment from my Concord athletic experience would have to be beating Bellarmine University my sophomore year.
They just finished their brand new soccer facility and we were going to be the first game played on it. The game was Friday night and it was quite the event for them. They were selling shirts that said 'Friday Night Lights', hundreds of people were there and the heckling was crazy, especially since we were a HUGE underdog in the match. So you can imagine how sweet it was when we beat them 2-1.
3. How has your athletic experience influenced your life?
It has taught me how to be determined and dedicated and most importantly a team player. Aside from shaping who I am today, it has allowed me to experience so much. I have been lucky enough to travel to several countries to play, including spending six years in West Virginia where I formed lifelong relationships.
4. What was the toughest part about being a student-athlete?
Time management! Being a student-athlete was always tough because you constantly had to juggle homework and assignments between games, practices and functions. While classmates would brag about going back to take a nap after class, we were too busy worried about if we were going to have to run the two-minute drill at practice!
Not only was I a student-athlete, but I was also a Resident Assistant (RA) for 2.5 years, which is basically a round the clock job. I remember during pre-season I would constantly have to juggle three-a-days between RA training. I would leave my room at 7:30 a.m. and wouldn't get back until after 10 p.m. It was exhausting, but totally worth it.
5. Outside of athletics, what was the best thing about Concord during your time on campus?
Hands down the people. Whenever there was a sporting event going on everyone knew. On game day making the short walk from North Towers to the Carter Center you would have so many people, ones you didn't even know too, wishing you good luck. Everyone on campus was so supportive.
6. What advice you would give current Concord student-athletes?
Make the most of your time while you're there. Four years seems like so long, but it flies by. Make as many friends as you can and STAY IN TOUCH! I am still so close with so many girls that I played with and went to school with. We all still get together and are still making memories! Your friendships do not have to end when your time at CU ends.
AS A COACH
1. How was it transitioning from player to coach? What was easiest and what was the hardest?
The hardest part of transitioning from player to coach was not being able to step on the field anymore. Knowing that you can no longer physically contribute is tough and at times hard to swallow.
You never expect your time to finish and when it does it sucks! But the best part was that I still got to be a part of it all; the practices, the game days, the road trips, and the madness that is college athletics. Not all athletes are lucky enough to continue when they are finished and for me to still be able to be a part of the program I had always known and loved was so rewarding.
2. What was your most memorable coaching experience while here?
The most memorable coaching experience I had while I was at CU was definitely beating No. 1 A-B, 3-1, in the regular season my second year coaching. Our girls busted for 90 minutes and every bit of it paid off. There is nothing more rewarding as a coach than having your girls leave everything they have on the field and coming out with the sweetest victory!
3. What is the one thing you would tell the girls they don't know you do in the office the make the team better?
Team travel So much planning goes into team travel – where we ate, slept, etc.
Trying to organize getting 30 food orders into Panera Bread or Olive Garden can be a bit stressful at times! We constantly tried to eat at new places so the girls didn't have to eat the same food over and over again … (Wendy's is good, but gets a bit old haha)
4. The one thing you felt like you repeated the most to your team as a coach?
“I'm not sure, I'll ask Stef …” haha. Stef is a great coach and I had so much to learn from her.
