AMES, Iowa — When it comes to being out on the turf, there's no other place Iowa State senior Mira Emma would rather be, whether she's playing on it or helping maintain it.
"I grew up playing baseball for seven years and that's kind of what sparked my interest," said Emma. "I was always out there ten minutes before making sure the dirt was perfectly even, the grass was precisely cut. I'd stay after to make sure there were no footprints left. So, that was kind of where it sparked and then being able to play soccer and maintain the fields that I play on is kind of sweet."
She's studying horticulture and plans to pursue a career in turf grass management. There's a lot of overlap between that and her day-to-day life as a soccer player.
"It's kind of crazy because your athletic, your professional and like your career all like kind of collide at one time," said Emma. "That's like the first thing I notice when I walk on the field is like what kind of soil is it, or is it sand based? Like little things that other people may not pick up on."
Her dream job is to be a head groundskeeper at an MLB stadium. She's been working towards that goal by heling maintain ISU athletic fields and even professional fields.
Over the past two summers, she's interned for her favorite team the Chicago Cubs and the NWSL club Racing Louisville FC.
MIra's passion, work ethic and ability to see things from an athlete's point of view is why her academic advisor Adam Thoms believes she has a bright future ahead of her.
"The fact that she's an athlete, she knows kind of what is needed to make the field play the best I think," Thoms said. "She knows those little details that kind of help set her apart from maybe somebody else that's never played the sport."
With the knowledge and experience she's gained during her time at Iowa State, Mira is eager to make her mark on the industry.
"It's 95% male and 5% female, so you really have to make your mark in this industry and it's nothing that you should shy away from," she said.