Muhlenberg鈥檚 Cortney Blake competitive on soccer field, in classroom
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (BVM) — Being an athlete in college requires a lot of hard work and dedication, especially if you鈥檙e majoring in a rigorous subject. Cortney Blake is a senior and forward on the Muhlenberg Mules women鈥檚 soccer team who also happens to be a double major in neuroscience and philosophy.聽聽聽
Blake began playing soccer at a very young age. Growing up with her family in Sparta, N.J., she was introduced to many sports as a child. Blake also participated in cheerleading and dance. Until her sophomore year of high school, Blake did not treat soccer higher than any of her other sports.聽聽
鈥淚n the beginning of my freshman year, I joined my first club team and then sophomore year I got on a good team which is when I took soccer to the next level鈥�, Blake said.聽聽
Along with soccer in high school, Blake was on Pope John XXIII Regional High School鈥檚 track and field and ski teams.聽聽
鈥淚 was not thinking about college soccer until the beginning of my junior year, which was a little late and limited me to just Division III which I was totally OK with,鈥� Blake added.聽聽
Blake had her mindset on what she wanted for her next four years on the soccer field.聽聽
鈥淚 remember in high school I was looking at Division III colleges that I could play at that were very competitive and I would be challenged on the team but also had very strong academics. My dad helped me through the college search process and we found the Centennial Conference, which led me to narrowing my eyes down on Muhlenberg and Ursinus.鈥�
Muhlenberg has a very strong science program which helped make Blake鈥檚 decision easier. After graduating from high school, Blake knew she wanted to major in the sciences having taken many AP science classes in high school.聽聽
鈥淚nitially, I thought I was going to major in biology, but then on accepted students day, the neuroscience major had a table set up and I was asking questions and became very interested in it, however, I did not officially declare until my sophomore year,鈥� Blake said.
While studying sciences at Muhlenberg, there are certain criteria that are required for the students who are studying in the field.聽
鈥淎ll science majors are required to take two semesters of general chemistry, three semesters of biology, along with lab components for these classes, and at least one semester of organic chemistry, but I did two,鈥� Blake said.聽
Along with these classes, Blake is required to take certain core classes for the neuroscience major, classes which Blake said include questions that stem from physics, organic chemistry, biology, and neuroanatomy. Blake would spend extremely long hours in the library studying her rigorous coursework.
Along with schoolwork, Blake鈥檚 practice schedule is no walk in the park. Her team practices six days a week along with team workouts three days per week in season.聽
鈥淚t can be very conflicting with school,鈥� Blake said. 鈥淭here were days when we would have practice at 10 at night, and then six the very next morning, so we would hardly get any sleep at times.鈥�
Blake plays a leadership role for the Mules.聽 As one of the seniors on the team, she gives a large amount of encouragement and pushes the underclassmen on the team to always work their hardest in order to see success in their individual games.聽聽
鈥淢y coach wanted me to show the freshmen that we are very competitive and we strive with a competitive atmosphere on the team,鈥� Blake said.
鈥淐ortney is super competitive,鈥� senior forward Isabel Schwartz added. 鈥淪he is always working very hard to earn her spot on the field and pushes herself during every practice and every lift.鈥澛犅�
Blake is also known for being a great teammate.聽
鈥淚f she sees someone is struggling, she is always there to give them positive feedback and help us all play at our best,鈥� Schwartz said. 鈥淚n terms of balancing her time with soccer and academics, she does a phenomenal job with managing her time and always gets everything done in a timely manner.鈥�
Blake鈥檚 initial plan for after graduation was to go to medical school. However, she has found a new interest that she believes she will make a career out of in the near future.聽 鈥淭his past winter, I shadowed a doctor at a chiropractor鈥檚 office and immediately fell in love with chiropractic because it is a combination of both neuroscience and philosophy鈥�, Blake said.聽
Blake has previously shadowed other types of doctors in the past and felt as if the environment was not as enjoyable as a chiropractor鈥檚.聽聽
鈥淭he atmosphere at a chiropractor鈥檚 office is much happier, because people are happy to be there, they鈥檙e not always in pain鈥�, Blake said.
The dedication and hard work that Blake has displayed as a college student athlete will begin to pay off her as moves toward the end of her time at Muhlenberg and looks forward to the next chapter in her life.
