When Kristen Funk arrived in 91原创, she was just hoping to push for some playing time as the keeper for the Trinity Western Spartans women鈥檚 soccer team.
Four years later, her name is etched in the program鈥檚 record books.
No goalkeeper in the program鈥檚 history has made as many saves as the fourth-year keeper.
She still has one season of eligibility remaining.
In fact, this past season, the fourth-year student played every minute in goal during Canada West conference play.
鈥淲hen I got here, I was just going to work my hardest to try and start,鈥� she said about arriving from Calgary to the Trinity Western campus in time for the 2008 soccer season.
鈥淚 was just striving to get some playing time; I didn鈥檛 know if I would or not.鈥�
In four seasons in the Spartan uniform, Funk has stopped 227 shots, surpassing former Spartan Angela Garriott, who saved 216 shots during her tenure.
And regardless of how big they are 鈥� she backstopped the team to a victory in penalty kicks in the 2009 national championship game as well as in the national championship semifinal game the year before 鈥� there is no real description Funk can offer.
鈥淵ou are in the zone and it just happens,鈥� she said. 鈥淵our body just reacts. You are not thinking 鈥業 need to make this save,鈥� it is just that your body knows what are ready to do.鈥�
One thing is clear: a save definitely gets the adrenalin pumping.
鈥淎fter you make a save, your heart is just racing and you feel almost shaky,鈥� she said.
Funk鈥檚 introduction to goalkeeping came when she was nine or 10 years old when a parent on the team asked if anyone wanted to give the position a try. Funk volunteered, enjoyed it and spent the next few years splitting time between the crease and her other position, as a centre-defender.
When she was 14, a coach made her choose and also encouraged her to seriously consider goalkeeping.
鈥淚 really enjoy how you can watch the game develop,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t is a very high pressure situation and I really enjoy it.鈥�
Funk hasn鈥檛 looked back since permanently switching positions.
After finishing high school in Calgary, she made her way west to Trinity Western.
Spartans coach Graham Roxburgh was told she was the 鈥渂est young keeper in western Canada, and possibly all of Canada at the youth level.鈥�
鈥淪he brought such a professional presence when she visited that I knew she was a player we had to get and build around,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e knew coming in she would step in and start because she is strong mentally and physically.鈥�
She joined the team in 2008 and helped the Spartans capture back-to-back CIS national championships.
The team made the post-season in 2010, but failed to advance to nationals.
But the team has come back with a vengeance in 2011.
After a season-opening loss, the Spartans reeled off a 13-game unbeaten streak 鈥� which included a dozen victories 鈥� to finish atop the Canada West in the regular season.
Funk has been a big part of that success, earning first-team Canada West all-star honours with some sparkling numbers: an 0.50 goals against average, an .851 save percentage and seven shutouts while playing every moment of the team鈥檚 16 games (14-1-1).
Over the weekend at the Canada West final four championships, the Spartans beat Victoria and edged Alberta 2-1 in penalty kicks.
Both Alberta and Trinity Western advanced to the CIS national championships, which run this weekend at Montreal鈥檚 McGill University.
The Spartans are not the only team Funk has played for recently.
Last summer, she joined the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Expected to play a back-up role, she was instead thrust into the starter鈥檚 position in the early part of the season because of an injury to the team鈥檚 No. 1 keeper.
Funk鈥檚 summer did have some setbacks, however.
Scheduled to represent Canada at the FISU (World University) Games in China 鈥� she also played at the Games in Serbia in 2009 鈥� an ankle injury the week before training camp nixed those plans.
