Schulers bid Saipan goodbye

The CNMI sports community is sending its big thank you to Kirk and Carrie Schuler, as they leave Saipan for Illinois tomorrow after staying here for three years.

“Kirk and Carrie are part of our national team. They spent many hours training and playing hard for the CNMI. I still remember watching Carrie score the beautiful goal against Guam in Tainan, Taiwan two years ago. Kirk started playing soccer at our coed league and quickly became a solid defender for our national team within a year, such a natural athlete,” Northern Mariana Islands Football Association president Jerry Tan said.

“They will be missed. Not only they are good soccer players, they are also great volunteer coaches for youth teams. I know they have inspired a lot of our young players both on and off the pitch with good discipline and respect for the game,” Tan added.

The couple played for MP United and club officials Betty Johnson and Vickie Izuka had also a lot of kind words for the Schulers for their contribution to the group and its players.

“They are good role models with their sportsmanship and dedication to the game. On behalf of the MP United, we would like to thank them and wish them good luck,” said Johnson, who led some MP United officials and U18 players in handing a plaque of recognition to the Schulers during an informal ceremony last Sunday at Navy Hill.

“Kirk and Carrie Schuler are two dedicated professional individuals who have made significant contributions toward football development in the CNMI. MP United Football Club in particular has benefited tremendously from their time and commitment in leading, organizing, and coaching our youth and adult players. They are good friends as well as mentors to our youth and we will truly miss them. We wish them well in all their future endeavors,” Izuka said.
Besides soccer, Kirk and Carrie also played tennis and CNMI coach Jeff Race is glad the couple became a part of the tennis community.

“Even for a short period they were able to contribute to our tennis community. They organized the Tan Holdings Classic and Kirk helped out in training some of our young players. He traded shots with Ji Hoon Heo and Negahr Rastguiy,” Race said.

The now Hawaii-based Heo said Kirk gave him competition when there was not much on Saipan.

“Although he never beat me, he really got the best out of me and I had to either serve really well or play smart to win. When I played against Kirk, I was able to analyze and know what I had to work on. Training on Saipan is tough because you get too relaxed when you don’t have a lot of competition so when I was up against him, I had to bring my A game and pump myself up to get back into the zone. He was not only an opponent but also friend and a mentor. I look up to him because he was once in the same shoes as I am today. He gave me advice about college and tennis and we hit regularly whenever we could,” said the Hawaii Pacific University player.

Peter Loyola, who is now based in Tokyo, Japan serving as a teaching pro at Jinji Tennis Center, said it was a privilege playing with the Schulers.

“Kirk is one of my best teammates. He always motivates me and he is very professional. He plays by the rules and always shows excellent sportsmanship. Carrie shares the same high level of sportsmanship as her husband and her soccer skills are impressive,” Loyola said.

The couple in an interview with Saipan Tribune yesterday said the best reward they gained in their three-year stay here was the positive impact they created in the sports community. The Schulers also thanked the community for welcoming them with open arms.

“When we came here three years ago, we don’t know what we’re getting into. Then we started meeting new friends and teammates and they welcomed us. The CNMI gave as the opportunity to play again the sports we enjoyed back home,” Carrie said.

“We will really miss this place and its very nice people. As for MP United players, we hope they will continue to improve their skills and keep showing great sportsmanship. For NMIFA and the various clubs, we wish their full participation in every tournament here and off-island,” Kirk said.