Achieving Success as a Woman in STEM, with Sydney Metzmaker

<p>“I am woman, hear me roar” is Sydney Metzmaker’s motto. If a challenge is presented in front of her, she attacks the challenge instead of shying away.</p> <p>She roars. It all started when she almost quit club soccer at the young age of 10 years old. For club soccer, you had to try out and be selected to make the team. Sydney attended most but not all of the tryouts, choosing to attend the DARE session at school for one of the days. She felt she made the right choice at the time, however, when selections were made and she was not chosen for the A team but rather the B team, she was heartbroken. Her pride was hurt and, at that moment, she realized she really truly wanted to make the A team, but her actions didn’t show her intent. Sydney decided to attend the first practice with the B team and see how she felt afterward. She showed up, looked around at the other players in attendance, and instantly felt frustrated. These players didn’t care about the game like she did is what she concluded. After the first practice, Sydney’s father asked her point-blank if she wanted to remain on the B team or quit? He continued to say, if she quit, she had to quit the game of soccer altogether. Her initial reaction was to quit. She was frustrated and felt she had lost something special by not being selected for the A-team. However, Sydney thought about his words just a little longer, and she thought about how much she would miss the game of soccer if she quit. Sydney responded with, “I am not quitting. I will make this team into the A-team.” Her father beamed with pride and said, “Ok! Then let’s get to work!” The very next practice Sydney took a moment to meet with everyone on the B team, to get to know them. She then proceeded to act like a leader in their presence. Sydney wanted to show them what it took to play the game the way it should be played. She worked hard, harder than she had ever worked before. Her coach noticed her enthusiasm and decided to schedule an exhibition game versus the A-Team at the end of the season. Sh