Lifelong friends, teammates earn D-I scholarships

VERNON — Hard work becomes success. Pope John Vernon High School students achieved their dream of playing Division I Soccer at two private colleges — with scholarships — starting Aug. 1.
Brittany Van Lenten will receive a 75 percent athletic scholarship at Monmouth University, a private school in West Long Branch, N.J.; and Lindsey Healy will receive around a 70 percent academic and athletic scholarship at Manhattan College, a private Catholic school near New York City.
Van Lenten will play defense; and Healy will play offense.
The two young women fondly remember how mothers, fathers, grandparents, coaches, teachers, and Pope John High School helped them achieve their goal. However, they themselves were also determined and driven to make it happen from a young age.
Healy said they both wanted to be in Division I since they could comprehend it – maybe around 10-years-old.
Van Lenten explained, Division I is the highest level played in college, with the commitment to practice every day, sign a letter of intent, and follow NCAA rules.
“It's a full-time job,” she said, “but they will have the perk of having their clothes washed” — in order to give time to keep their GPA's up.
Van Lenten and Healy were the captains of their soccer team last year at Pope John High School, and they love their Coach Brian Barbulescu, who is already planning a trip to see them play each other.
Both Monmouth University and Manhattan College are in the Metro Atlantic Athletic (MAAC) Conference.
Van Lenten said although they will play against each other for the first time — October seventh at Monmouth University — they are both focusing on getting on the field.
Healy chimed in they are also freshmen.
To which Brittany said, “Back to the bottom of the food-chain.”
Before the prospect of Division I, their journey has been one of friendship together and hard work in both academics and on the field.
Healy said their lifelong friendship is a bond which became very close because of soccer. They live a few minutes down the street from each other. She added, “We have always hung out. Before practice, after practice.”
Altogether, they both said, “Snow days.”
They have been playing soccer since first grade together. Healy's mother, Lisa, coached them many years on the “Pink Panthers” team. She was an All-American soccer player in college.
Healy said her dad, Rick, plays soccer. Rick played in Vernon High School, where her parents met.
Van Lenten's mother, Cheryl — affectionately dubbed “Chervans” by Healy — took care of Healy's 8- or 9-month old brother, Ricky, on the sidelines while the girls played soccer, and Lisa coached.
Cheryl teaches Language Arts at Sussex Christian School.
Both young women agreed Pope John High School taught them how to study and prepared them for academics at college.
Their AP government teacher, Jacquelyn Burt, even met them for a five-hour Sunday review, with food.
Healy said she took the SAT exam six times; and Van Lenten said she took the SAT five times.
The young women and mothers remembered tough times which built to success: leaving at 4:30 a.m. for a soccer game — Cheryl carrying a sleeping Brittany out to the car; waking then three-year-old Ricky at 4:30 a.m. to go to a soccer tournament; traveling to Colorado for two weeks, driving to Rutgers twice a week, late night academy team practices and travel outside of high school, in order to improve their skills.
Van Lenten remembered her dad, Dave, drove her to Indiana last summer.
Lisa remembered the nice trips, where they talked, found out what was going on, and formed close relationships. She is proud of them both, and said it was, “Nice to see their wishes and dreams come true. Our hard work pays off, right?”
Cheryl said, it was a profound moment on signing day, as the two left, walking down the hallway, side by side. She added, “How many really wonderful things they have in store over the next couple of years.”
Healy concluded, “How many times they have walked away, side by side, off the field from a game, at half-time, but that wasn't the end, together.” She added it is, “Kind of an end, but a new beginning, to another end.”