YUMA, AZ – For most of Kylie Wellard’s life, the crunch of desert sand beneath her feet has signified home.
A three-sport standout at Gila Ridge High in Yuma, Wellard is a lifelong Arizonan. But when colleges started showing preliminary interest in her as a student-athlete, she sought something different. In addition to the chance to further her athletic career and education, she wanted to live in cold weather.
So, it was a natural fit when Wellard committed to Iowa Lakes Community College this week. The school offered the rare opportunity to participate as a scholarship athlete in both soccer and swimming, and winters where ice and snow replace the sand-swept comfort of home.
“It’s nice,” said Wellard, who visited the campus a few weeks ago. “I like cold weather, so it was different than Arizona.”
It’s also different that Iowa Lakes, a two-year college located near the Iowa-Minnesota border, gave Wellard a full academic scholarship as well as more than $5,300 from the soccer and swim programs to cover her expenses.
“I always wanted to go and play a sport in college,” Wellard said. “So, to get that finalized, like, ‘Hey, you’re going.’ That was pretty cool. And, two? That’s pretty awesome. I didn’t think I’d get the chance. I’m very grateful for the chance that they’re giving me.”
During her four years at Gila Ridge, Wellard accumulated a 3.98 grade point average, was a three-time AIA All-Conference performer in soccer as a midfielder, and advanced to the state finals in at least two individual events every year from 2014-16, including capturing a top-seven finish in her preferred event, the 100m freestyle as a senior.
Athletes like Wellard, who are successful in multiple areas both inside and outside of the classroom, are part of a growing trend at Gila Ridge. "It says that we have great kids and great coaches who take pride in being a good student and good athlete,” Gila Ridge Athletic Director Steven Anderson said. “Coaches understand you have to be a student first and athlete second. Our overall athletic program is committed to excellence in the classroom and on the field.”
To top it off, Wellard and her sister, Kacey, a junior at Gila Ridge, advanced to the state finals as doubles partners in tennis in 2015. The elder Wellard said, despite her desire to leave Arizona, moving away from her sister will be one of the most difficult aspects, especially since they have been teammates throughout her final three years.
“We’re so competitive in everything that we do,” Wellard said. “We challenge each other and push each other to be our best. We do almost everything together. We’re basically twins. So, it’s going to be difficult.”
Any homesickness might get wiped out merely out of necessity. Wellard arrives in Iowa around July 29, allotting three weeks of training and assimilation before school starts. After that soccer season and swim season bookend each other with only a few days in between.
“I’m definitely excited for it,” Wellard said. “It’s going to kill me the first couple of weeks at least to get into it because [the sports] don’t overlap each other, but they just miss each other by days. They’re one right after the other and I’ll be training in the offseason. So, during soccer season I’ll do swim practice two days a week and then switch out like that for swim.”
Asked if it came down to it and she were forced to choose, would she play soccer or stay in the pool? Wellard paused, smiled and said, “Oh, man.
“I couldn’t. Everyone’s been asking me that for years. I can’t choose.”
Fortunately, she won’t have to. Instead, she’ll just have to decide what footwear best suits her when the winter months arrive.
