Playing soccer has always been a family affair for Julie Giller ’08. The Bellingham, Wash., native has been playing soccer since she was four years old with her parents and her older sister.  “Soccer was very popular where I grew up,” she says.  “Everyone was always playing.  It became a lifestyle for me.  It not only got me involved in athletics, but it was also fun and a place to socialize with my peers.”

Her sister Jen ’04 came East to attend St. Lawrence in 2000 and played soccer for Head Coach Deb Biche for four years.  Once Jen graduated, it was Julie’s turn to take the field in the St. Lawrence jersey, and she has been a versatile player for the Saints the past four seasons, playing in whatever position the team needed her most.

“I wanted to be a contributing member of the team and work hard for all of my teammates,” she explains.  “I suffered an injury in high school that made me stop playing soccer for four months, and that made me see how important soccer was to me and how important being a part of a team was.”

For Julie, a Bellingham High School graduate who is an economics and mathematics double major, being a member of the soccer team has been one of the things she’s most enjoyed about her St. Lawrence experience.  “I can’t imagine being a student and not an athlete here,” she says.  “The friends I have made on this team are my best friends on campus and act as my family.  But being an athlete also makes you a part of a bigger St. Lawrence family because you find you get close to a lot of other athletes.”