SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: Allyson Krause
11/3/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Senior forward Allyson Krause might be tiny at only 5-foot-3-inches, but she is not to be underestimated. Krause was responsible for scoring the lone goal to seal her team's 1-0 overtime win this season against New Mexico on Sept. 13.
Starting all 18 of this season's game, Krause played 74 games in her collegiate career, starting 59. She amassed 38 points while leading the team in that category in the 2013 season.
Unlike many of her teammates, Michigan State was not Krause's initial destination. Originally planning on attending an out-of-state school, she soon realized that should she opt for that decision, friends and family would most likely not have the chance to attend her games.
"Many of my friends attend MSU, and it is also close to home," she said. "I realized that going to school out-of-state took away the chance of my family and friends making it to every game. MSU is a great educational institution where the coaches provided me with an opportunity to play soccer for a Big Ten team."
Family means everything to the senior, as part of her game day ritual included calling her parents so that they could wish her good luck. The youngest of six children, Krause is the baby to five older brothers, what she considers a "special and unique" experience.
"Nobody I know of to this day is the baby girl of five brothers," Krause said while laughing. "I did not have a choice when my mom signed me up to play soccer as the only girl on my youngest brother's team, as it was the main sport played in my household. We're 11 months apart," she said of her brother.
Krause said that being a tomboy was just a given, as she "did not mind one bit." Still to this day, the senior would pick a pair of nice gym shoes to wear instead of heels. Something Krause doesn't deny is the irreplaceable impact her brothers have had on her.
"They are so supportive, and also have had a role in getting to me where I am today," she said gratefully. "We would all play in my backyard when we were younger, and they would get mad if I beat them [at soccer]. I think that's where I get part of my competitiveness from."
It was Krause's father, Darrel, who ended up signing his seven-year-old up for the Michigan Hawks club team, picking out the number 12 for his only daughter. This became Krause's favorite number, keeping it all the way throughout her young career.
Playing for her entire youth career with the team, she was the only ‘original' player on the roster as the Hawks won a national championship in 2012.
"Winning the last national title of my youth career was very exciting, yet very difficult," Krause admitted. "My club team was part of very talented girls, with many of them playing Division I soccer. We were very well coached."
Coming to MSU the No. 12 wasn't available for a jersey.
"MSU was a new chapter for me, so I decided to choose a different number as well."
And thus Krause became No. 2 for her collegiate career.
Shining in her freshman debut, Krause garnered a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team along with scoring a goal in her first collegiate game at Bowling Green Aug. 17. Success has continued to follow Krause as she sits in 25th in MSU history in overall points with 38 (14 goals, 10 assists). She also sits at 23rd in career goals.
While Krause said her achievement is "nice" she defaults to her teammates for allowing her to make the records possible.
"I owe the credit to my teammates that I have played with through the years," Krause said. "Their support, talent, and unselfishness made the records possible."
While the forward cannot pick a favorite memory from her time at Michigan State, her relationships with her teammates and coaching staff are something that do stand out.
"Creating friendships with the girls is something that I will forever cherish," Krause said softly. "They are my sisters that I've never had. I'm sure if you asked anyone on my team, they would say that I like to joke around (at the right times), so if I could bring out a smile on their faces, it made me happy."
"I am also going to miss having talks with Tammy [Farnum] about life in general, and also in particular her children. It was something we bonded over, where we didn't have to talk about soccer."
Another source of support to which Krause credits her success is not only her brothers, but her parents, Mary and Darrel.
"Family is so important to me because they have helped shape who I am today," she said. "I do not believe I would be playing at Michigan State if it was not for them."
From the very beginning, Krause's father made sure that she "didn't skip a single beat."
"Whether we were traveling for tournaments, going to training, or even games, he made sure I was there," she said. "Not only did he make sure I was there, but he made sure I was there on time. It was a bad day if I was not at training a half-hour beforehand!"
Krause's mother supported her in another manner. Managing an apple orchard throughout the senior's childhood, she would always wish her daughter good luck before every game and put meals together when she would come home from late night practices.
After retiring this year, both her mother along with her father were able to attend every home game Krause had.
"This year was very special because my mother and my father attended every home game, and even traveled to some away games to see me play," Krause said. "Having their support means the world to me, and I could not thank them enough for all that they have done."
Krause will be looking to pursue a career in hospitality business. However, she has too much of a passion for the game to leave it entirely.
"Becoming a soccer coach or a trainer is something that I am considering as well," she said. "I love the game too much to walk away from it all."
One thing that is undeniable is that Krause's legacy in East Lansing will live on long after her departure, both from her performance on the pitch and the bonds of sisterhood that she has established with her Spartan sisters.
