Being a team leader as a college sophomore is a difficult task, but Iowa State soccer player Dawn Weber seems to be accepting the challenge like a champion.

Weber kicked in the two goals for the Cyclones on Saturday that led them to their first-ever victory for their home field debut. Weber is the Daily’s Cyclone Profile player of the week.

The team captured the win over St. Cloud State University with a 2-1 score.

As a co-captain, Weber holds what head soccer coach Cathy Klein says is a strong leadership role on the team and is a great role model for the other players.

“She loves the game of soccer and is committed to her development as a player. She is a passionate forward and a solid middle field player,” Klein said.

Although Weber says the expectation of being a leader is sometimes frustrating, she tries to lead mostly by example.

“As only a sophomore, I don’t really know what it takes to be a leader,” she said.

But actions can speak louder than words. And in Weber’s case, her previous records could definitely speak for themselves. In high school in her home town of Aurora, Colo., Weber was a four-time first team All-State soccer player, as well as a two-time defender of the year. Her senior year she was chosen as the 6A player of the year in Colorado.

She also was a member of the varsity basketball team until her senior year of high school when she was told to drop it and to start specializing in soccer. That focus has helped her form the beginnings of a successful career in collegiate athletics.

Becoming a team leader isn’t the only adjustment Weber has had to make this year. She came to ISU with Coach Klein from Creighton, a team ranked 17th in the nation, to a team that had barely touched their feet on the field.

“It was hard because it’s a new program at Iowa State, and nobody knew what to expect,” Weber said.

She compared ISU to Creighton’s program which was full of upperclassmen who knew what to do and when to do it.

“You had to know” with a team like that, she said, but the upperclassmen here don’t know much more than the freshmen starting out. Besides ironing out the wrinkles of a new squad, Weber has also overcome other problems. Last October she tore a major ligament in her knee, an injury that threatened to put her career on permanent hold.

However, an injury that takes the average person six to nine months to completely heal from — only took five months for Weber. Klein credits that quick recovery to Weber’s integrity.

“She’s shown tremendous character to come back and play full force,” Klein said.

Weber was also proud of how soon she came back. Now the injury is far behind her.

“Basically I’m completely recovered,” she said.

Besides kicking in two game-winning goals last weekend, Weber has another favorite soccer highlight she’ll always remember.

It was her first chance to play in a game when she was on the Creighton team. Weber knocked in a header goal and scored the point that gave the team a 2-1 lead over James Madison, a game they ended up winning.

“It really got my foot in the door,” Weber said.

Now that the Cyclones have experienced their first success, Weber is sure there will be more good things to come.

“I’m looking forward to lots of high points here at Iowa State.”