The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Going end-to-end: The A-to-Z on Kelly Lindsey
09.08.2005 | Soccer
Former U.S. National Team defender and WUSA standout, Kelly Lindsey is in her second year as an assistant coach with the Longhorns soccer program. A native of Omaha, Neb., Lindsey recently took some time out of her day to go end-to-end with TexasSports.com.
A is for Adam Sandler
"Back to school. Back to school to prove to Dad that I'm not a fool. I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight, I hope I don't get in a fight. Ohhhh, back to school. Back to school." Kelly's favorite movie is Billy Madison, which stars her favorite celebrity, Adam Sandler.
B is for Biking
Kelly's favorite thing to do besides playing soccer is to go biking. She likes to ride outside of Austin in the countryside by Dripping Springs and Fredericksburg where she doesn't have to worry about cars.
C is for the College World Series
If you weren't at the College World Series, you were not a true Nebraskan. Kelly's fondest memories of the CWS involved the crazy LSU fans, who rode in with camper trailers and had fish frys and crawfish broils in the parking lot. I wonder who she was rooting for at the 2005 College World Series, where Texas captured its sixth national championship.
D is for Different Perspectives
Kelly has experienced two different perspectives in soccer: as a player and as an assistant coach. The biggest difference she sees is that as a player, she was drawn into what she was doing individually, which caused self-inflicted pressure. As a coach, she watches 20 players develop every day and has to keep her grasp on every player and also make them all feel like they are a part of the team.
E is for Eggs
Kelly is very picky about the way she eats her eggs. She prefers them scrambled with salsa and LOTS of cheese. Her love for this type of eggs came out of a breakfast incident with her roommates. One day, she promised to make them breakfast, but since she is a self-proclaimed "terrible chef," she burned the eggs, so she covered them with salsa and tons of cheese. Now, Kelly and her roommates love them, and she makes them all of the time (hopefully not burned).
F is for Fighting Irish
Kelly played college soccer at Notre Dame and actually played two seasons under current UT head coach Chris Petrucelli.
G is for Green Jerseys
One of the many Notre Dame traditions involves wearing green jerseys for big games. If the Irish are considered the underdog, but the athletic department thinks they can win, green jerseys are ordered for the entire team. For example, during Kelly's junior year, her team was ranked fourth in the NCAA Tournament and played top-ranked Santa Clara. The Irish pulled off the upset, and although they didn't end up winning the National Championship, wearing the green jersey was an incredible feeling for her.
H is for His Holiness the Dalai Lama
If Kelly could meet anyone, it would be His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who is actually coming to speak at UT on Sept. 20. Unfortunately, Kelly wasn't able to get tickets because the team was training on the morning of the ticket draw.
I is for Interesting Class
The most interesting class Kelly took at Notre Dame was her World Religion class. Before teaching the class, her professor went to Tibet and became a monk. She says that all his experience and interesting stories left a large mark on her education.
J is for Joe Montana
One of Kelly's favorite athletes of all-time is her fellow Notre Dame alum Joe Montana, who also played for her favorite professional team - the San Francisco 49ers.
K is for Kayaks
If Kelly could go on a shopping spree to any store, it would be REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.), which is an outdoor store that features kayaks as well as camping equipment. According to Kelly, REI wins above any other store.
L is for Lance Armstrong
As someone who loves cycling, it is no surprise that Kelly is a HUGE Lance Armstrong fan because "to do what he's done is unbelievable." She loves to watch the Tour De France and is a big fan of cycling in general.
M is for Mexican Food
When Kelly is hungry, chances are you can find her at a Mexican restaurant, where she's likely to order enchiladas with extra cheese and sauce.
N is for Nebraska Stereotypes
From covered wagons and horse-drawn carriages to people from the Midwest being corn fed, Kelly has heard just almost every stereotype about Nebraska. She thinks it's funny that most people who say they know Nebraska are the ones who hold these stereotypes.
O is for "O Town Philly"
When you ask Kelly about "O Town Philly" (which we all know as Omaha), the first things that come to mind are cornfields, cows and Nebraska football. Actually, the nickname "O Town Philly" comes from the Boys II Men song "Motown Philly" < admit="" it,="" you="" remember="" that="" song="">
P is for Pro Athlete Life
Kelly says being a pro athlete is one of the best things you could do. She thinks it's amazing to be paid to do what you love, and there's nothing that compares to that.
Q is for Quick Fact
Here's something I bet you didn't know about Kelly. When she was young and lived in Omaha, she won the Tractor Pull Championship at a state fair. Pretty cool, huh?
R is for Ring
After being the first overall pick of the WUSA's San Jose Cyber Rays in 2001, Kelly helped lead the team to the 2001 World Championship, where she earned her most prized possession < her="" championship="">
S is for Steak
To Kelly, there is nothing better than Omaha steak and potatoes. She says she could live off Omaha steak, potatoes and Taco Bell forever. Much like California states that they have the best cheese because they have the happiest cows, she says Nebraska has the best meat because they have the strongest cows.
T is for Time Travel
Kelly says she wishes she could have been in high school during the 1980s because of the fashion during that decade. She says triple layered socks, bright colored t-shirts, big hair or even pinned pants would have been up her alley.
U is for UT Sports
Kelly has become an adopted UT fan since moving to Austin. She likes to go to games whenever she can and says its amazing how much passion the Longhorns faithful have. Kelly grew up a Nebraska fan, but since she has coached here at Texas, she's found herself donning the burnt orange as well.
V is for Violence
Though she does not condone violence, Kelly's favorite part of soccer is the physical aspect, such as tackling. Soccer was the most physical sport girls could play when Kelly was growing up, so she gravitated toward it because she enjoys battling out on the field.
W is for World Cup
Kelly's love for soccer took off while watching the 1986 World Cup. She watched every game and even had the poster. She told her dad that if nothing else, she would play on the men's national team (because the Women's World Cup did not begin until 1991). Fortunately, women's soccer rose in popularity and Kelly was able to play with the U.S. Women's National Team on three different occasions.
X is for Xtra Early
The big joke at Kelly's high school was how early she would go to bed (usually 9 p.m.). These days, if she can be in bed by 8 p.m., she's happy.
Y is for "Yo Quiero Taco Bell"
Anyone who knows Kelly can tell you that she eats at Taco Bell everyday. She used to only eat bean burritos, but lately she has taken a liking to the Mexican pizzas and double-decker tacos.
Z is for Zany Hair
The Texas humidity makes Kelly's hair go crazy. Her friends nicknamed her "Boof" because it accurately describes how the humidity makes her hair go out and up instead of down.
