Written by Danielle Murray '11
To Albertus Magnus women's soccer fans, when you hear the name Brittany Collard it brings to mind dedication, leadership and hard work.
Collard, a 2010 graduate of Albertus Magnus, was a four-year starter for the Falcons and most recently was named the head coach of the North Haven High School girls' soccer team.
Collard led the Falcons in her senior year with five goals and eleven points. As a midfielder, she scored two game-winning goals and was two-for-two on penalty kicks during that same season. Collard's major achievement at Albertus was becoming the first women's soccer player to be captain both her junior and senior years.
She began playing soccer at the age of five, and has been supported by her father. After tearing her ACL at the end of her senior year in high school, Collard remembers her father giving her the confidence to work hard during her freshman season at Albertus to recover from the injury. "My father has been really the main person that I have been able to relate to when it came to sports and in life in general." She goes on to say, "He was just there for me and him being a coach in the past himself, he was able to guide me athletically in my career."
Collard is carrying on her love of the game to help younger generations with their own soccer goals. Once graduated from college, she was offered an assistant coaching position with the North Haven girls' soccer program, her alma mater, and later became the Head Coach. Collard is one of the few female head coaches in the state and, at the age of 23, is one of the youngest.
At first hesitant about the opportunity, she wanted to share her knowledge and love of soccer, while teaching the girls confidence and teamwork. "I chose to take the opportunity because I missed soccer so much and I wanted to stay involved still in the sport and I knew that in playing, it wouldn't be as competitive." She continued. "I figured I could just share my knowledge and my love for the game with high school athletes who would be at the competitive level and hopefully get them to work towards a bigger goal like a state championship."
As a young coach, her major soccer goal is to guide her team to a successful season. "Coaching wise, I hope I can bring the team to the feeling of winning, being successful and just overall have an intense competitive drive and not only on the soccer field but off the soccer field."
Collard was recruited to play for the Falcons and majored in art education at Albertus Magnus. Off the field, Collard hopes to pursue a career in teaching.
