Soccer's Estridge returns to home state for junior season

Two things have always been important to Chris Estridge: it’s always been soccer, and it’s always been Indiana.

Well, almost always.

Go back 10 years.

It is Monday morning. An elementary-school version of Chris sits at his desk, pressing his pencil to the lined paper in front of him.

It is time for his weekly journal entry, and Chris is writing about the one topic he has written about in all of his previous entries — soccer.

Born to Tom and Joy Estridge, who met on IU’s campus, Chris was raised a Hoosier fan.

All-American and former IU goalkeeper Juergen Sommer was his coach when he played for Carmel United alongside future IU soccer players Rich Balchan, Tyler McCarroll and Alec Purdie. All that remained was to wear the cream and crimson on the pitch bearing the name of Jerry Yeagley.

Then three years ago, what had always been took a turn.

Chris signed a letter of intent with Wake Forest, and his soccer road veered toward North Carolina, a team who had just come off a national title win.

“He made a tremendous leap of faith,” Sommer said about Chris’ decision to go to Wake Forest. “Chris has always been like that. He’s always been very challenged and trying to push himself and try to achieve some higher goals. He’s always out there reaching for the stars, and he was always amongst them. I give him a lot of credit for going to Wake Forest. Not a lot of kids would go that far.”

Two goals and two College Cup appearances later, Chris decided to transfer from Wake Forest. He wanted to be back home in Indiana.

His two important things are now one.

“There’s always been a part of me that’s been a Hoosier,” Chris said. “I just needed to change the scenery. It’s been a good change for me.”

In 2009, then-No. 2 Wake Forest ended its season with a 2-1 overtime loss to No. 3 Virginia in the NCAA semifinal round. The Hoosiers lost in the third round of the same tournament.

While Joy Estridge’s motherly side enjoyed watching Chris play at Wake Forest, her IU side is happy her son is in Bloomington.

“Wake Forest is really known for training, and he got great technical teaching there,” Joy Estridge said. “I think maybe he just needed to try it, but we are both IU alums, and I was glad when he came home.”

Balchan, a senior, has played soccer with Chris since their days with coach Sommer. Balchan said he knew Chris would always make a great collegiate career for himself.

“The biggest thing is he’s just got a great attitude,” Balchan said. “Not once since he’s been here has he had a slow day in practice. He always brings the energy and gives 110 percent.”

That energy and level of expectation surrounded him at Wake Forest. Sommer said being in that environment at one place helps Chris now that he is in Bloomington.

“You just come out of that with an air of confidence,” Sommer said. “He brings a lot of that to the table now with IU, which they need in the role that he plays. It’s infectious. It kind of filters through the rest of the team and kind of raises the bar for everybody.”

It’s a bar of winning, a bar of prestige, a bar that IU is trying to return to holding above the rest of the collegiate soccer programs in the nation.

“We’re hoping there will be another visit or two to the tournament,” Joy Estridge said. “But this time, we’re going to be cheering on IU.”

Now, all roads lead to a place Chris calls home except for that one road that is waiting to be paved with a national title.

“I’ve always wanted to be here,” Chris said. “I think that’s just kind of where my roots are. I’m an Indiana boy.”