Kara Fitzgerald

Women's Soccer

‘Where Are They Now Wednesday’ – Kara Fitzgerald Hoekwater

Our student-athletes are what make Georgia State so special. Our 'Where Are They Now Wednesday' segments feature former student-athletes from across all of our sports and not only look back on their accomplishments, but where they are now.

Kara Fitzgerald, now Kara Hoekwater, became the first women's soccer player in program history to land in the Georgia State Athletics Hall of Fame. Her individual accomplishments are remarkable to this day, but it was what her and her teammates accomplished in 1997 that she remains the most proud of 24 years later.

Kara remains the school career record holder for goals, points, game-winning goals and matches played. She also has the third-most assists in school history. Fitzgerald holds the single-season records for goals, points and game-winning goals. Fitzgerald earned Georgia State Female Athlete of the Year, All-South Region Team honors, TAAC MVP, and Honorable Mention All American recognition during her stellar career.

However, as she talks about, none of those honors, including being inducted into the Georgia State Athletics Hall of Fame would have been possible without her teammates, a group that remains close to this day.

Talk a little bit about what you have been up to the last 25-plus years since finishing up at Georgia State (work, sports, family)
Goodness… it seems like yesterday! Life has been an adventure since I graduated from Georgia State. I married Matt Hoekwater (former GSU basketball player). We have three amazing boys. I was blessed to play competitive soccer up until I was pregnant with our last son. Unfortunately, my soccer career ended with a bad knee injury. I then had to get used to sitting and watching. Since then, I have spent most of my time being my boy's biggest fans in all they are involved in.  My oldest son Maclean just signed to play basketball at Young Harris College. My middle son Cole is my soccer player and plays for the U19 AFC MLS NEXT team. Thank God I was blessed with one that I can boss around. LOL. (He is better than I ever was, so I cannot do that). Our youngest son Tanner plays baseball, football, and basketball. To say we are busy is an understatement. 

My husband and I are part owners of a propane company here in Atlanta. We have lived in St. Louis, Chicago, and finally landed in Fayetteville, Ga., where we call home. I have also found a passion in flipping houses, interior design, and vacation rentals. I enjoy turning a rundown house into an incredible 5-star vacation rental. We love to travel, so I have learned what makes a vacation home special.

How did your experience at GSU help you get to where you are now?
My experience at Georgia State University played a huge role in where I am now. I learned a lot. Most of all, I learned not to give up when times get tough. I also learned to trust God's timing. I was on the first ever women's soccer team at GSU. Our first season, we won two games and lost 18 (maybe more). It was ugly. We lost our head coach (which was a HUGE reason I picked GSU). Several players/friends transferred. I had offers to go to other schools, but something told me to stick it out. I wanted to be apart of program that "needed" me. I was determined to help make the program better. I was excited about the new coach Jodie Smith. He let me help with new recruits. I took full advantage of that and got my best friend Michelle Sacco to commit. The rest is history. We still struggled because we were young, but by my senior year we were ready. We had some incredible players with winning mindsets that were ready to compete. I always said we were never the most talented, but I can promise you there was not a team that loved each other more or worked harder. Those two things were the foundation for our success. I tell my boys all the time… if it is easy, then everyone would do it. The reward is always worth the hard work and sacrifice.

All these years after graduation, it seems like you and the group that made the NCAA Tournament are still extremely close. Talk about that group and what they mean to you.
Absolutely. I always felt like the mama bear of the group. I still call them "my girls." I love them each dearly. We are all still remarkably close. We really had a bond that was special, and it carries into our current lives. Sadly, we recently lost a piece of our heart with the unexpected passing of a former teammate/friend. Our hearts will forever beat different without her with us. 

We played for each other. It's kind of funny when I think back… I never knew where I was in the stat book on goals. I never cared. I just gave 150 percent for my girls, and I always knew they gave 150 percent for me. I know it is so cliché, but I would not hold one single record without each of my teammates.  

What does it mean to you and that group to be the first women's soccer team to make the NCAA Tournament? What would it mean to you to see this year's team accomplish the same?
Making the NCAA tournament was absolutely incredible. We had worked so darn hard, that it was so rewarding to be there. I remember that game so well. I remember being nervous. I remember thinking IF we win, we will play Notre Dame. Crazy. We were expected to get beat bad, but goodness we showed up and played with everything. We took that game into OT, but just did not have enough in the tank. What a way to end my college season. I do not regret one thing. I left it all on the field, and I know my girls left it all on the field too. You cannot ask for a better ending. 

Oh my goodness… I would LOVE to see this year's team get to experience that feeling! Heck yeah! It would be awesome to be able to watch them compete at that level. I know they have it them. I think Coach Ed can get them there. If I could tell them one thing…. it is to love your teammates and play for each other. And oh yeah…. Run the hills.

Your name still liters the record book for both season and career records. Do you still take some pride in those numbers and your accomplishments at GSU?
I take pride in what we accomplished as a team. I take pride in the fact that I didn't quit when times were hard. I have always had a hard time with individual stats. Soccer is a team sport. If I was a golfer, then great. I honestly never had a clue as to where I was in the stat book. I remember one game, Coach pulled me aside and said if I scored one more goal, then I would be leading the nation in goals. We were up 7-0 at the time, and I said no thanks, let the girls that work just as hard get some playing time. I just wanted to win. That was my goal. It was never about me. Still isn't. Seriously, look at how amazing our defense was. That back line was solid. We could not have gotten even close to a championship without their efforts. Again, I was nothing without my team. I am grateful they had confidence in me to score, and I am grateful they did everything they could to help us win.

A few years ago, you were among the first inductees into the Georgia State Athletics Hall of Fame. What did it mean to you to be the first GSU women's soccer player inducted?
I remember finding out that I was nominated as a possible GSU Hall of Fame candidate, and I cried. During my four years at GSU I worked incredibly hard to achieve my goals. I wanted to be a leader. I wanted others to work as hard as me if not harder. I wanted to be successful both on and off the field.  I wanted to be encouraging and help make others get better around me. So, when I heard I was nominated, I honestly felt like I had accomplished my goals. To know so many of my teammates and coaches took the time several years later to nominate me was incredibly special. I have to believe that most of those that nominated me never had a clue as to the records I hold. I am sure the stats and records were probably the reason I was inducted, but my career was more than that. If GSU would have allowed me, I would have had each of my girls accept that plaque with me. I do not take the induction into the Hall of Fame lightly. I am honestly so honored, and so grateful I had such a special team help make me the best I could be.

If there is one thing you could go back and tell the college version of yourself, what would it be?
If I could go back and tell the college version of myself one thing, it would be to have trust in God and His plan. I worried a lot. I doubted myself a lot. I look back now and see that God had me right where I needed to be. I met my future husband, I made the best lifelong friendships and our team left a pretty incredible legacy for all the future/current Panthers to strive for. God is so good. I will forever be a Panther.
 
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