Sept. 26, 2000

COLLEGE PARK, Md.

By Ryan Sakamoto
Diamondback staff writer

Read this article on The Diamondback Online.

Born and raised in Reilingen, Germany, Terrapin junior midfielder Caroline Walter was brought up on field hockey. She picked up her first stick before she could walk. From the age of four her weekends were spent mostly playing at a club with her father, where she was able to develop one of the hardest shots in the NCAA.

So imagining 1999's ACC Player of the Year never putting on a Terrapin field hockey uniform may be strange for fans and teammates to picture. But the fact is, Walter almost gave up field hockey after a successful club career in Germany. Credit the Robert H. Smith School of Business for changing her mind.

"During that time, the decision was based more on my business career," Walter said. "I already had a lot of experience within hockey and I was satisfied with what I had reached with hockey. I actually wanted to go to school in Paris, but as I'm fluent in French, I decided it might be good for my future career if I'm fluent in English."

So Walter's Terp career began. Having spent only three days in America on a recruiting trip to Maryland, Walter was in for a shock when she saw what lifestyle coach Missy Meharg had in store.

"I never practiced more than three times a week, and when I came here it was really hard to adapt," Walter said. "There was no option to not go to practice."

While most American high school field hockey players are used to a rigorous practice schedule, Walter struggled. This led to teammates and coaches jokingly calling her "Arnie" because of the famous Austrian born muscle man Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"I'm probably the worst person on the team when it comes to strength and conditioning," Walter said.

Asked about comparisons to Schwarzenegger: "They don't know he's not from Germany," Walter laughed. "So they said by the time I graduate I have to be as strong as him. I have two years to go, so I'll catch up on him."

The culture shock Walter suffered could have been even worse, especially with her family back in Germany.

"I was like OK, I'll give [Maryland] a shot and I'm going to try it for a year, if I like it I'm going to stay, if I don't I'll just go back home," Walter said.

It could have been very easy for Walter to pack up and go home, but she found a family within her team.

"Sometimes when you see all the parents of your teammates here it's kind of weird that you don't have your parents there," Walter said. "I think the parents on the Maryland team make up for it. They really treat you as if you were their child."

Despite being so far apart, Walter still keeps close ties to her family.

"My parents call me every day, so I talk to them on a constant basis and they know about everything."

Walter still plans on going back to Europe to pursue a career in marketing and logistics after she graduates.

"It really depends on my personal relationships, but so far I'm going to go to Europe," Walter said. "I'd love to go to Switzerland. There they speak four different languages and it's only about three or four hours away from [Reilingen]."

With the Olympics going on in Sydney, Australia, Walter is disappointed to not be representing her country. But showing wisdom beyond her age, she has stayed focused on her reason for being here.

"One of my friends called me last week and was joking about how the Germans need you right now,' and that made me a little upset," Walter said. "Of course [the Olympics] is probably the best thing you can have in your athletic career, but you just have to see where the trade-off is. You have to set your priorities, and I put them more into my future career than into hockey."

Many foreign athletes often devalue the importance of American titles. Walter, though, has grown to appreciate the titles the Terps have won in her career.

"I always thought that winning a German championship would be the best," Walter said. "I never thought I'd value the NCAA title as much as I do now."