By Ryan Makuch
Hometown heroes are always warmly regarded, and perhaps none were more immediately well-received by all in the AFCAA Family than Tatiana Mason. A graduate of Ann Arbor Skyline, Mason made her stamp on the team dominating the wing throughout the entire season and earning the player of the year nod from the Main Street Hooligans. After a stellar sophomore season with Ball State in the wake of that first summer, Mason was set to rejoin The Mighty Oak for 2020. Of course, the world had other plans.
Mason echoed the thoughts of AFCAA fans everywhere, saying, “The cancellation of the summer season was a difficult one to deal with.” She emphasized the training environment of the club and how it provided for a great learning experience, saying, “Having the opportunity to train with a talented group of women and play 90-minute games before leaving for college is such a blessing.” She would also add, “Not only does it get you in shape, but it forces you to stay sharp technically and tactically.”
Despite that, Mason still made sure to take time and continue improving over the summer while remaining safe. “Fortunately for me,” she said, “I was able to get work in with Next Level Training. The online zoom training and workouts they provided really were a lifesaver. But other than that, I was at my old high school field (Ann Arbor Skyline) almost every day practicing my finishing or hopping in on some pickup games.”
During this quarantine time, shooting and finishing was something that Mason wanted to improve and refine. “I didn't have the season I wanted sophomore year in terms of scoring goals and creating chances, so I turned my concentration to exactly that,” she would say. She also drew inspiration from a soccer icon in her training: “It's funny, I once heard an interview with Cristiano Ronaldo where he said he took 100 shots after every practice, so I tried to model my training after that. 3-4 times a week I would go to the pitch and rep 100 or so shots or some type of finishing.”
Looking ahead to her collegiate season in the spring, Mason is gearing up for what will be her junior season with the Cardinals of Ball State. Despite the late start to the season, she already seems in midseason form as she scored a pair of goals in Ball State’s intrasquad scrimmage. Mason has been looking forward to the return to the pitch, saying, “It's been great to get back on the field!”
Over the course of her first two seasons, Mason made a huge impact with eight goals and ten assists over those two years, and earning a MAC Freshman of the Year award in her first season. Her Ball State teams racked up a combined 29 wins over those two seasons, and Mason is looking for more this year. “My expectations are sky high for the upcoming season!” she would say. “Not only do we have a great core group of returners, but we also have 10 freshmen who are ready to make an impact.”
Mason’s hopes are to get back to the MAC Championship Final as her Cardinals did in 2018. “Of course, we have to take it one game at a time,” she would say before adding, “but this is the most optimistic I've been with the talent on our team.” Already starring at a high level, that level of performance has always helped boost Mason into a larger leadership role for the team. “I am lucky to be surrounded by such a strong group of women to learn from,” she would say. Ahead of this season, Mason was voted as a co-captain, which she called a huge honor to receive from her teammates. The pushback to the spring season was a disappointment, but in returning to the pitch, Mason is looking forward to it all, saying, “But now that we are back, that disappointment has turned into excitement for the upcoming season.”
Of course, some things are bigger than soccer. With the social climate undergoing long-needed first steps to reform, Mason stood with the movements as an ally. “The Black Lives Matter movement was such an inspiration to witness and be a part of. And still is quite frankly.” She would also add on her summer experience following and being involved, “Not only were we all stuck at home dealing with the pandemic, but we were fighting such an important fight for equality.”
Mason echoes the continued need for progress, saying, “Although we've made steps towards reparation, we are nowhere near where we need to be. It's absolutely infuriating how much our society is founded on racism and I cannot stress enough how much it needs to change.” She also acknowledges the different lived experiences that she has with those directly affected by racism, saying, “I can't possibly understand what it is like to be a Black individual in America,” she would say, “but I know that it is my responsibility as a human to do whatever I can to stand with and support the Black community.”
Throughout a summer of a pandemic, pushes for progress, and a canceled season, Mason still continues to represent the AFCAA Family well with her willingness to push for what’s right and her leadership attributes.