Simone Timm is the epitome of a multifaceted athlete as she played rugby, volleyball, and ran track in high school, earning Senior Athlete of the Year and countless MVP awards. Since she did not have access to a funded soccer program, she played on a club team, ultimately deciding to follow through with that passion. She is now a key player on the Division 1 Women's Soccer team at Georgia Southern, showcasing her innate drive to work hard – a drive that extends far beyond soccer.
Growing up, Simone never had to be told to work hard. She observed the example her parents set, and with just the right kind of support from her family, she has made a successful path for herself, achieving several great accomplishments and building a promising future as a travel nurse!
When asked about her own proudest moments, she first talked about making it to the Sun Belt Conference tournament final in 2021, then winning the Sun Belt regular season title in 2022, showing her appreciation for her team and coaches.
Her accolades are highlighted by the fact that, along with five teammates, she earned CSC Academic All-District honors in 2022. She shows up and performs both on and off the field, attributing her academic success to her superior memorization skills!
What's most admirable about Timm's strong mindset is her humble awareness. When asked about any pre-game habits or routines, she only mentioned one incredible insight. She says to herself before each game starts - "It's a privilege to be on the field right now, so enjoy it."
She shows true wisdom in recognizing the big picture in these high-stress moments.
This is not to say her road has been easy. She expressed how when she first started her career at Georgia Southern, she was the player supporting from the sideline. She then got the opportunity to be substituted in as a game-changer when they needed it, and now Simone has been able to experience the excitement and responsibility of being a starter and a leading player.
"I've had a lot of emotions," she said, while recalling the different milestones of her path. She remains positive, appreciating the importance of each role she has been able to play on the team. Now that she is a senior, her attitude can be summed up by her statement,
"I just want to make the most of it."
Now starting to look towards her desired career as a travel nurse, Simone fully intends to keep sports a part of her life. She considers the possibilities of joining a Sunday league, while guaranteeing she will be remaining active. You can catch her taking fitness classes in the spring, post-season - good luck keeping up with her!
When researching for her future career, she says "I saw travel nursing and fell in love with it. That is what I want to do for as long as possible."
She wants to be able to build a personal connection with patients, which she acknowledges could be very difficult, but it aligns with her passion for helping others. She also loves experiencing a wide variety of places, and from there will eventually decide where she would like to one day settle down.
"At some point, I do want to find a place that I like. I'm also the kind of person that doesn't like to do the same thing every single day," she says.
This craving for variety explains how Timm stays motivated throughout her demanding student-athlete schedule. For her nursing path, she participates in clinicals the first half of the day, then rushes to practice immediately after, having to change clothes in the car.
During the clinicals she assists doctors in very serious and sometimes intense cases, where she then must consciously shift her focus to practice, which is no easy task. She then must find time to take care of herself, study for classes, and show up to any other events, or requirements after a clinical and soccer practice. It's impressive enough that she even finds time to sleep!
"Yeah, it's a lot" – she humbly said to acknowledge the difficulty of her the schedule.
Simone Timm is a powerhouse on and off the field, showing the value of consistent efforts day-in and day-out. Her ability to adapt to each situation as it comes to her is not only extremely admirable, but inspiring. Her natural drive to work hard through anything and everything has helped her get this far and will surely carry her through anything to come as she continues, in her own words, to "make the most of it."
Jenna Gant is a senior communications major from Savannah, Georgia. She is part of the Southern Scribes, which consists of Georgia Southern students writing about Eagle athletics.