Sept. 9, 2011

This Sunday (Sept. 11), the University of Michigan women's soccer team hosts Central Michigan, but more importantly, the day also marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in New York, Arlington, Va., and Shanksville, Penn.

For most Americans, Sunday will be a day of remembrance. It's been 10 years since the horror of that day unfolded on television sets around the world. Most of us remember it like it was yesterday. We know where we were, what we were doing, and what we felt when we first heard the news.

What follows are first-hand accounts from U-M women's soccer head coach Greg Ryan and four student-athletes -- senior/junior Clare Stachel, junior Holly Hein, sophomore Meghan Toohey and freshman Olivia Buechler -- on what they remember from that fateful day.

U-M Senior/Junior Clare Stachel (Grand Rapids, Mich.)

"I have a very clear memory of September 11; 10 years ago. I was in sixth grade, in Mr. Quinn's class. Because of our age, the administrators decided to not tell us anything, so for a majority of the day we did not know that anything was wrong; however, I still caught a glimpse of the destruction. At this point in my schooling, we still walked in lines from one class to another. We were walking from mathematics class to cooking class when we walked past the choir room saw the TV emblazoned with the news. I saw my two choir teachers standing in awe with their hands over their mouths as they watched news coverage of the towers. At the time I did not think much of it, but I came to understand it later that day.

"It was not that often that my parents picked me up from school, seeing as how both of them worked full-time jobs, but on that day, my mom decided to pick me up at the last minute. I remember getting in the car and she asked me if I knew what the Twin Towers were. I said something about Wall Street and stocks, clearly guessing. She proceeded to tell me what had happened and reminded me to pray for all the people who had lost loved ones.

"We then headed to my weekly piano lesson, which took place downtown. Looking back, my piano lessons stands out most to me because of what my teacher told me and my mom. When we came in, he and my mom had small conversation before my lesson and what I remember him specifically saying is how he did not want to cancel piano lessons that day because he did not want to give the terrorists the satisfaction of knowing that they interrupted our lives. He believed that they had already affected so many people's lives that he did not want them affecting ours, so we should continue on.

"At the time, I don't think I fully comprehended what had happened to our country or what the repercussions were, but thinking back, I am glad that there were people like my piano teacher who did not want to crumble under the terrorist's attacks. I was so young at the time of this event, but for some reason, I remember that day perfectly and the hope that had already started existed even amongst all the destruction."

Junior Holly Hein (Castaic, Calif.)

"It was 6 a.m. on the West Coast when I woke up to get ready for school as I did like every other day. I remember going into my parents' room to see if they were up and seeing the TV on, like usual, as it was their alarm. That day, however, both my mom and dad were watching much more intently than they typically did in the mornings.

"I was nine years old at the time. My parents, aware of the tragedy that was taking place as they watched the news, didn't want me to see what was happening. My mom immediately took me downstairs to eat breakfast. I had just started eating and was thinking about how it was one of my friend's birthdays when my dad told my mom that I needed to see what was happening. She turned the TV on downstairs and I ran out of the kitchen to watch with her just as the second World Trade Center tower was hit.

"I was scared and confused about what was happening. My mom took me back into the kitchen to finish eating and then took me to school like normal, but as you can imagine, school was not the least bit normal. There was no one outside on the playground. No handball or kickball, nor were there foursquare games going on before the bell to line up for class rang. And there was certainly no birthday celebration. I went to my fifth-grade classroom and the TV was on. We spent the rest of the school day watching the news and talking about what had happened amongst ourselves.

"The day felt like it was in slow motion. It was nothing like I thought it would be. After watching and discussing the tragedy, I was extremely thankful that I had my family to go home to after school. When my mom picked me up, I told her that my friend would always remember his 10th birthday and that I did not think I would ever forget it either."

Sophomore Meghan Toohey (Philadelphia, Pa.)
"I'm sure that it's not surprising that I can remember exactly what I was doing when I heard the news on September 11, 2001. Even though I was only nine years old, I knew I'd be able to recall what happened that day for the rest of my life.

"I was sitting in my fourth grade class room, full with only 10 students, including myself. We were working silently when my teacher, Mrs. Rambo, left the room. I remember her frantically reentering the classroom while tears were falling from her checks. She gathered us and said we were going to the auditorium because something had happened. I knew something was seriously wrong because a teacher never cried in front of a class. As we walked down the stairs and past the television in the lunchroom, I remember the news showing a plane crashing into one of the towers. We were all waiting for our parents or guardians to pick us up as our school decided to close on early dismissal. It was a blur from this point until I was brought home.

"I specifically remember being scared for my mom. She works in Center City Philadelphia, and at the time I thought a huge building may be next. I remember sitting outside my house, wondering what was going on. I was told what had happened after the first plane and how there were others, but I was not mature enough to really comprehend or understand. I just remember being one of the lucky people who were fortunate enough to not have known anyone who was either on a plane or in the buildings, and I remember praying for those who did. I knew this was going to change our lives forever. I knew it was one of those days that I would look back on and always remember, just as the generation before us remembers exactly what they were doing on December 7, 1941."

Freshman Olivia Buechler (San Diego, Calif.)
"September 11, 2001, was a normal day until my third grade teacher, Ms. Dean, told my class that school was being let out early and we were going home. I was so confused as to what was going on. When my grandma picked me up, she told my sister and I that there was an attack on our country. I didn't know what terrorists were and I especially didn't know why they would want to destroy the U.S.

"When I got home from school, the news was on. I sat there watching panic break out in New York City, Washington D.C., Virginia and Pennsylvania. To see the World Trade Center towers get hit, the smoke taking over the streets of the city, and the thousands of people running to find cover was devastating. I immediately thought of my parents. They were stuck in Germany and weren't going to be able to fly home for a few days, so I called them, worried.

"For weeks after the tragedy I was unable to sleep when I heard a plane go over my house at night. I was so naïve that I thought that plane had a destination to crash somewhere else. Although I was young and didn't fully understand what had happened on 9/11, I will never forget the day I had and how it affected our country."

Michigan Head Coach Greg Ryan

"I was coaching Colorado College at the time, and we had a game at Harvard on the Sunday prior to the 9/11 tragedy. We flew out of Boston's Logan International Airport after the game, happy that we had beaten a good Harvard team, 5-4. Needless to say, we were all shocked when we saw the planes fly into the World Trade Center in New York. We were even more surprised to hear that the planes had taken off from the same airport we flew out of only two days before. The whole team had the sense that it could just have easily been us.

"I had tried to recruit a player from Southern California who was also playing in Boston that weekend. Her mother decided to stay and return to L.A. on September 11. She was on the flight abducted by terrorists and used to destroy the buildings. It seemed that everyone knew someone who was affected by 9/11. It was a very personal tragedy as it affected so many people across the country.

"As an athletic department, we had to decide how to deal with this terrible event. Should we play the next game or cancel it? All sports faced the same question. We ended up playing as the President had recommended. Soccer seemed of little significance at the time with so many American lives lost and with so many others mourning the loss of their loved ones.

"Our country has never been the same since. We remember 9/11 every time we go through security at an airport. We will never forget the loss of lives nor the brave policemen and firefighters who saved so many others while risking their lives. It is a day none of us will ever forget."