Imagine playing the sport that you love and getting the opportunity to play that sport at a higher level on a Division 1 college team.
Now, imagine doing that with your sibling right there with you.
Siblings competing on the same team are a rare sight to see. Surprisingly, several pairs of siblings play together at Georgia State.
Kamree and Kelsee Holloway, sophomores on Georgia State’s women’s soccer team, are just one of those pairs.
The two began their soccer journey about 50 miles west of Georgia State at Carrollton High School in Carrollton, Georgia.
In 2017, they announced their commitment to Georgia State and then officially made their entrance onto the field in the spring of 2019.
College athletics can be more intense and competitive than high school sports. It can push students to work harder, but it also makes it difficult for athletes to get through such a significant transition in their lives.
But having a close family member with you every step of the way can encourage one to keep persisting.
“My sister always motivates me,” Kamree said. “When I’m not having the best game or practice, she’s there to talk to me and help me get out of my own head and do better.”
Playing with a sibling is a unique experience that has its own set of pros and cons.
“It is just like having a best friend with you,” Kelsee said. “The only con [about playing with my sister] I can think of is the way people compare us. [It] can be pretty annoying.”
Helping improve each other’s performance on the field is another significant pro. Learning tips and tricks from one another can be quite easy for the pair, as they both play the same position on the field: defender/midfielder.
“We learn from each other and push each other to be our best [on the field],” Kelsee said. “I like to think we bring a fun [kind of] energy to the field.”
Not only do these two support each other on the field, but off the field, they are also each other’s biggest fans.
“She gives me good pep talks on my bad days and helps me keep going,” Kelsee said.
Maintaining a healthy relationship off the field is crucial for these two sisters. Having to be in each other’s company most of the time allows them to strengthen their bond.
“My relationship with my sister is the same on the field as it is off the field,” Kamree said. “We get along well and encourage each other.”
The two also know what continues to push them along their journeys: not the glory or the trash-talking or the status of being a student-athlete and getting free gear.
“Talent only gets you so far. Hard work gets you the rest of the way,” the sisters both said.
