Colleen Mickey earned eleven varsity letters in three sports, was an all-state selection in volleyball and soccer, shared Wauwatosa East Athlete of the Year honors, won a Division One volleyball scholarship, and teams won state championships her senior year in volleyball and soccer and yet it was never about any of that for her. What Colleen cared most about were the people she played with.
She starred as a freshman on a soccer team dominated by talented upperclassmen, and when that team was eliminated from state tournament play, she personally apologized for the loss. Three years later, she avenged that setback by scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 state championship final. And then she gave the credit to the teammate who had scored the first goal.
No one loved to win more than Colleen, and few athletes did more of it during a four-year career in volleyball, soccer, basketball and track. Something good seemed to happen whenever the ball came to her, but the numbers she put up while leaving absolutely nothing on the field measured only a part of her contribution. Her qualities as a mentor, a morale booster, and a friend matched her accomplishments as a star.
When she was taken from us in a tragic auto accident during her freshman year at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, the Wauwatosa East community lost so much more than a supremely gifted athlete.
Colleen’s organs benefited three people and as of this writing her heart still beats (longer than it had in Colleen’s body).
