Emily Belding This is Me

Education

 Web References

1. 1. Belding there for her mom and Cabrillo women's soccer - By ISAIAH GUZMAN - Sentinel Staff Writer - November 17, 2006

   www.santacruzsentinel.com/arch - [Cached]

   Published on: 11/17/2006   Last Visited: 11/17/2006

   Emily Belding wanted to come home.
   
   Her mom was fighting ovarian cancer and she was off at school.
   
   She knows now that she shouldn't have, but Belding says she felt guilty getting an education at St. Mary's College in Moraga while her family was here getting a Ph.D. in dealing with tumors.
   
   Belding also missed the game of soccer and said St. Mary's just wasn't a good fit academically.
   
   So why not? She came home to Santa Cruz. And she calls it the best decision of her 19-year-old life.
   
   Now a forward and midfielder for the Cabrillo College women's soccer team, her team-high 16 goals and tireless fight have helped the Seahawks to their eighth consecutive Northern California playoffs appearance.
   
   Eleventh-seeded Cabrillo travels to No. 6 Sierra for a first-round game Saturday. Sierra beat Cabrillo 3-1 earlier this season and by the same score in the second round of the 2004 playoffs.
   ...
   Belding and the rest of the Seahawks will need perfection to pull off an upset. In Belding, Cabrillo will at least have somebody willing to work until she drops.
   ...
   Belding's mother Cathy has been fighting ovarian cancer since just before Belding and her twin brother John were freshmen at Aptos High.
   ...
   Belding says her family's struggles have made her realize how important life is. Maybe that's why she doesn't pout when a teammate gives her a bad ball, or why she doesn't hang her head when her team loses or she misses an opportunity.
   
   "I would never want anybody to be inflicted with cancer," she says, "but the things you learn from it, it's just a life changing experience."
   
   Cathy, who at first didn't want her daughter to give up St. Mary's, says one of her great joys is seeing her children play.
   
   "It's a very happy time of my life," she says, "and I feel very lucky any time I'm able to sit there and watch it."
   
   And Cathy gets to see quite an athlete while at her daughter's games.
   
   Belding is also a former standout in basketball at Aptos. She never played soccer for the Mariners because it fell during the winter season with basketball. But she played club soccer for the Aptos Surf in the spring and briefly with the Santa Cruz County Breakers.
   
   The sports complement each other, says Belding. She's learned how to use her body well, how to roll off a defender. She also has above average speed.
   
   Cabrillo and Aptos assistant Mike Arzabal, also a Breakers coach, says basketball gave Belding a blue collar mentality.

2. 2. studentsportssoccer.rivals.com

   studentsportssoccer.rivals.com - [Cached]

   Published on: 3/6/2008   Last Visited: 3/18/2008

   In addition to the eight NLI signees, the Spartans also added a junior college walk-on in Emily Belding. A native of Santa Cruz, Calif., Belding transferred from Cabrillo College. She is currently enrolled at San Jose State and participating in spring training.
   
   Said Winans, "Emmy is a local player who spent the last two years at Cabrillo College.

3. 3. All-American effort: Aptos' Heather Emswiler beats crystal meth addiction to become a two-time All-American at De Anza - By TOM MOORE - Sentinel Sports Editor - January 13, 2007

   www.santacruzsentinel.com/arch - [Cached]

   Published on: 1/13/2007   Last Visited: 1/13/2007

   Her fully-extended save against a powerful shot from Cabrillo's Emily Belding was a turning point in a critical match and the season.