By Gavin Priest and Jack Footer, Cronkite PR Lab
Soccer has always been a part of the DeMark family.
Like in most families, her siblings played, and Gator was no different. What was different, though, was the number of children in the DeMark household: 15.
Growing up in the Phoenix Valley, DeMark started playing at seven, beginning in a youth organization and, over the years, moving up the ranks to become a fierce competitor at the club level.
DeMark said she fell in love with ASU because, with her large family, it let her stay in touch with them. She also enjoyed how tailored the experience would be for each player.
“Whether it was the coaches or just how much effort they put into wanting to take care of me, I knew right away that it was so different from any of the other colleges I got recruited by because they cared so much,” DeMark said.
Staying close to family
DeMark loves being part of many families, not just her own. One of those is Holy Family Academy, where she previously went to school.
She is the first player from Holy Family Academy to sign with ASU in any sport. She said her experience at the Phoenix-based Catholic school helped shape who she is now as a soccer player through a deeper, newfound connection to her faith.
Since Holy Family Academy is so tight-knit and an everybody-knows-everybody community, her signing day was a pinch-me moment.
“It was so beautiful because I even knew the kindergarteners,” DeMark said. “It was so adorable when I went for my signing day. They all made me posters, and I just knew that this was right for me to stay at home to represent Arizona, to represent Holy Family Academy, and to represent my family.”
Lessons from being 1 of 15
Having so many siblings can lead to valuable insights, not just about soccer but about life, too.
DeMark said she has watched her siblings, especially her two older brothers, play for years, which has allowed her to take their aspects of the game and apply them to her own.
“They're very confident when they play, and I learned a lot of passing techniques and tackles from them,” DeMark said. “Also, to be vocal on the field and to always give 110%.”
DeMark is only a freshman, but Head Coach Gram Winkworth explained that DeMark's impact on the team has already exceeded expectations.
“Gator is a team-first person,” Winkworth said. “She cares about everybody else so much, and it really feeds through the team. She can play multiple positions. She can play center back. She can play fullback. She's really coming along well. I think the addition of playing some fullback is really helping her offensively.”
Winkworth added that, as a soccer team, you want to be as versatile as possible, so having a player who can play multiple positions helps the team stay ultra-competitive.
He added that a cohesive, family-like bond also helps the team's mentality.
“We'd probably be 1-11 if we didn't have it,” Winkworth said. “We've got an incredible group that cares about one another off the field, even more so than on the field. They care about each other as people first. When they bring that mentality to the matches, you can see how much they care about one another every time they step on the pitch.”
DeMark echoed Winkworth, saying she takes the same values she's learned from her family, such as love, compassion, and joy, and brings them to her soccer family. She prides herself on always embodying those qualities because she knows not everything people go through will be positive. She's grateful to navigate some of these things with her teammates and to be there for them when they need it most.
No matter where a person plays collegiate athletics, they can always grow as an athlete, and DeMark feels the same way about ASU.
In her short time in Tempe, Demark said she's gained confidence by trying to play her best every day. Upperclassmen showing her the ropes have made her feel even more connected to her teammates.
Off the field
Outside of soccer, DeMark finds joy in doing anything with her family, since they are all her best friends, especially her family’s Sunday night barbecues, because each one is different. She says that no matter what the food is or which family friends come over, she always loves the camaraderie.
Aside from the barbecues, DeMark said she spends any chance she gets with her family.
“We go to Mass together. That's always a beautiful thing to do,” DeMark said. “If any of my siblings ever have a sporting event or there's something for Holy Family Academy, we'll always be there. We're always there to support them.”
DeMark feels jubilant whenever she returns to Holy Family Academy, because she loves to see where some of the younger students she went to school with are now.
Looking back on her start at ASU, DeMark could not be more thrilled that she has been able to just take it all in and see the unique superpowers her teammates bring to the table.
“Sun Devil Athletics gives you so many opportunities, and we are spoiled as athletes,” DeMark said. “So just take it all in and just remember that you are here for a reason, and that ASU wants you.”