The Kicking Teacher
Meghan Fligg '10 majored in English and played varsity soccer during her four years at Colby-Sawyer. Last February, the Cape Cod native who is a high school teacher and soccer coach there applied those skills to another worthy cause as a member of United Kingdom Soccer Development (UKSD) when she accompanied a group of high schoolers on a community service trip to the West Indian island of Dominica. Before they left the States, they shipped thousands of dollars' worth of donated soccer gear to the island.
“It was one of the most amazing things I've done,” said Fligg of the experience in which she and seven students spent a week coaching soccer, tutoring in schools, and working on service projects. “The poverty there is so evident. A lot of the kids didn't have any equipment.”
The American students visited a school, where they tutored children in math and English, before playing a big game of soccer. “They were all wearing the equipment we had shipped down. It was very humbling to see that,” said Fligg. Beside ssoccer activities, the group spent time helping to build a bus stop and visited a home for special needs children.
“I feel that a major component of my ability to participate in such an incredible service trip is due to my experience as a Colby-Sawyer student and women's soccer player,” said Fligg, who was pleased to be able to share the experience with students. “It was important for them to see what poverty looks like and how they could help.”
For more on UKSD, visit www.uksd.org.
-by Mike Gregory
Mike Gregory, assistant director of Advancement Communications, came to Colby-Sawyer in 2005. He holds a B.F.A. from Concordia University.
Colby-Sawyer College is a comprehensive college that integrates the liberal arts and sciences with professional preparation. Founded in 1837, Colby-Sawyer is located in the scenic Lake Sunapee Region of central New Hampshire. Learn more about the college's vibrant teaching and learning community at www.colby-sawyer.edu.
Colby-Sawyer College, 541 Main Street, New London, N.H. 03257 (603) 526-3000
