After waiting for four years, the Cline sisters, Kaitlyn and Haley, finally get to play on the same women’s soccer team here at the University of Dallas. With COVID ending their short-lived high school duo, they have come together, prepared to face this season head on. Kaitlyn, business major, is in her senior year playing as #22 and defender, and Haley, business major, just arrived in her freshman year playing as #2 and left wing.
Seeing as they are each other’s only siblings, the sisters have always been close. This has allowed them to push each other to their limits.
“We are incredibly close on and off the field […],” Haley said. “When going against one another in one versus one drills, we compete at a higher level against each other because we are sisters.”
Kaitlyn added, “On the field I consider her all the above: a sister, a teammate and a rival. Naturally we always treat each other as sisters and built-in-best friends.”
Because the Cline sisters challenge each other, they are also their greatest cheerleaders.
“When I scored my first goal in the first game this season, Kaitlyn was so excited[…] while sprinting towards me to do our handshake,” Haley said. “Our team as well as our coach found it inspiring, supportive and encouraging.”
“The best specific moment would be our scrimmage at the beginning of the season. Haley scored and I don’t think I have ever jumped so high in the air. I was the first one to her to celebrate and it was such an exhilarating moment,” Kaitlyn commented.
Though Kaitlyn and Haley love and support each other, they did not want to depend on the other for their future endeavors. This became a critical discussion regarding their college educations.
“In her decision process, we had spoken multiple times about how I did not want to be the major factor in her decision,” Kaitlyn emphasized. “I wanted her decision in a university to be made for herself and where she felt she could grow the most (the same as I had made mine). After our many conversations, I realized her reasoning for choosing UD was very similar to mine. That is when I knew that UD was going to be the right choice for her.”
When the Cline sisters realized how much they both value the UD’s core curriculum and strong faith community, they understood that they came to the university on their own volitions. This conclusion has granted both sisters the ability to freely pursue their notably similar interests in the business world.
Their family is also happy and supportive of their decisions.
“Our family loves watching us play for the same team. One, because they only have to drive to one university to watch us. Two, because we have never been able to play together before due to COVID,” Haley explained.
In response to what they find most admirable about each other, both sisters see each other as role models.
Kaitlyn said, “The most admirable trait of my sister [Haley] is her positivity, contagious laughter, love and compassion for others and her trust. My sister has always been someone who is there whenever she is needed.”
Haley added, “[Kaitlyn] wants and craves to do her best in everything in her life. She will put everything she has on the field for the team and herself. She inspires me to be the best player I can be.”
As the women’s soccer team begins their season, the University of Dallas looks forward to what the Cline sisters will achieve, both on the field and in the classrooms. With only one year to play, we know that they will use it to its fullest.