Jackie Carron was the one, clear constant.
Two years ago, the Michigan women’s soccer team was in the middle of a major coaching transition. Wolverine coach Greg Ryan was making changes.
But one thing he didn’t tinker with was starting Carron on defense. And he still won’t now.
The Rochester Hills native started all 18 games she played in her freshman year, started another 19 last season and has been a stalwart of Greg Ryan’s defense since his arrival.
“It’s critical,” Ryan said of Carron’s presence on defense. “Jackie’s the one player that can cover for everybody else. And she can cover for all three other (defensive) positions on the field. Just having a player like her gives you that sense of security that it’s like if somebody makes a mistake, she’s going to be there to cover it up.”
The security that Carron brings her coach could be necessary for an inexperienced Michigan team this fall. The Wolverines have started the season slow out of the gate with a 3-3 record, but Carron is already making her mark on the team offensively.
In Michigan’s 4-3 win over Central Michigan on Sept. 3, Carron tallied one goal and one assist. Ryan also has the junior quad-captain taking free kicks and corner kicks for the team – and it was off a corner kick that she was able to loft the ball into the back of the net for her first goal of the season.
Carron added another goal and two assists in the Wolverine’s win over Eastern Michigan Sunday. She had one career goal entering the season.
“(Ryan has) just pushed me to be best that I can,” Carron said of her coach’s impact. “Every day, he works on something new, and I work at it until I get it right.”
Ryan also thinks Carron can play professionally and for the national team. He pushed her to play for the top women’s club team in the country this summer, the Pali Blues. With Carron’s help, they won the United Soccer Leagues’ W-League championship.
Carron’s potential to play professionally is something Ryan thinks will bring girls to Michigan’s soccer program. He pointed to the fact that five of next year’s recruits are currently playing at the youth or senior national team level. Their sights are set on college and beyond.
“A lot of kids are coming to Michigan now because they want to play in the pros,” Ryan said. “They want to come here because they want to have a coach and a coaching staff that has international experience.”
While Ryan is developing the young talent he has at Michigan, Carron is roaming the field as the last line of defense for the Wolverines. And as the team continue to have growing pains, Carron can be a calming force on the team.
“I just don’t know what we would do without Jackie Carron, and I know about 26 other girls over there that feel the same way,” Ryan said.