SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: Kelli Timar
11/2/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Senior midfielder Kelli Timar could be found more often than not battling opponents for ball possession. Before sustaining an injury that would leave her unable to compete for most of the month of October, Timar played every game, coming off the bench to have a noticeable impact.
After three and a half weeks of being sidelined, Timar and her team narrowly missed the postseason by one point in the Big Ten standings.
"You have your moments where you're feeling so confident and great, and then something switches," Timar said. "Then you're thinking maybe I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be doing. It's just overcoming those downs and being able to come back and fight through it. Just trying to stay on top."
The senior credits some of her toughness from coming from her early days of playing hockey with her brother, Ryan, who played at a collegiate level for the Air Force Academy.
"I know I'm not the biggest, strongest person out there, but when I have the right attitude and mindset, I know I can take anyone down and do what I need to do," she said determinedly. "Hockey was something of a factor in that."
Timar's family's love for sports is evident in her choice to be a Spartan. Older sister, Kristi, is a MSU soccer alumna (2005-08), and Timar cited that as a large influence in her decision to attend MSU.
"Ever since I can remember I've played sports," Timar said. "It's ranged from tennis to golf to hockey to soccer to basketball. I grew up with my older brother playing ice hockey since he was little and my siblings going through sports is something I've always looked up to."
Sophomore forward Jamie Cheslik, Timar's cousin, is also a member of the Spartan squad, making MSU soccer truly a family affair.
Timar has a strong soccer background as she won state titles both her sophomore and junior year of high school with Novi, boasting an undefeated record her junior year. Timar ended up playing both of her State championship games at DeMartin Stadium.
A member of the Michigan Hawks club team as well, she experienced success with her now senior teammates Alexandra Gjonaj, Sarah Kovan and Allyson Krause, as they won the National Championship in 2012.
"It helps knowing them and their families growing up playing club because a lot of the time you travel with your family, and you get to know [the other families] more," she said. "Coming in as a freshman, it was definitely less stressful knowing people."
Timar also played soccer at the high school level with senior goalkeeper Gabrielle Gauruder, both Novi graduates.
During her career at Michigan State, Timar played in 40 games while earning her first collegiate start against Iowa this season. Coming through in the overtime win against New Mexico on Sept. 13, Timar gained her second career assist on the game-winning goal. The assist was part of a set piece that associate head coach Tammy Farnum had worked on in a special practice session with Timar due to her class schedule.
"Tammy is a great coach," Timar said sincerely. "She does so much for us. The little work where Erica [Goodenough] and I have our side practices the days we can't make it with the team on Wednesdays, she was able to give us that one-on-one time and getting those extra touches in. I think that helped a lot."
The fourth of five children, Timar's dream job is a detective.
"My mom's a lawyer, so I kind of have that criminal [justice] background hearing stuff from her," Timar laughs. "I think it would just be interesting, just like CSI, I love watching CSI, Law and Order, and that kind of stuff. Those are my favorite shows, and I think it would be really interesting to have the background information on that and forensics."
Timar's mother, Lori, a native of Canada, is an example that the senior looks up to and goes to for guidance.
"She's always been the one for me to go to about anything," Timar said fondly. "She was always taught to get through life and do anything that you can-- have the right attitude and you can do whatever you put your mind to. That [mentality] kind of just came from her to me."
Putting her dreams of police work aside, Timar instead will look to focus on finding a job in her major of packaging. She has secured an internship with Pepsi working with research and development in the Quaker division.
Timar will remain a Spartan and avid sports fan at heart, however.
