By: Madison Rastocny
Soccer player Brooklynn Allen is pulling all-nighters unlike any other Bellarmine sophomore. She’s studying, doing homework and taking care of her 6-month-old daughter Everleigh until 2 a.m.
Brooklynn is back at it by 7 a.m. because that’s when Everleigh wakes up.
Brooklynn said it was challenging at first to balance school, soccer and Evie. “But just learning to balance it all and having time cut out for each thing and also having support from my friends and family is really great, too,” she said.
Brooklynn has a lot of help when it comes to watching Evie.
She said: “My mom has been a huge supporter with all of this. She will drive down to Louisville a few times a week to help me watch her while I’m going from school to practice. Also, while I’m at practice a lot of the athletes on the other sports teams help me watch her.”
Brooklynn’s mom, Holly Allen, drives from Lawrenceburg, Indiana, to visit her grandbaby from Thursday to Sunday two or three times a month.
Holly said she tries to help Brooklynn a lot.
“I watch Everleigh while Brooklynn is in class or practice and during games. I also help her deep clean her condo, cook and help her with meal prep for the week,” Holly said.
Two of Brooklynn’s friends and her teammates, sophomore Cambria Kingman and junior Sophie Bish, said they love helping and often watch Everleigh.
Bish said Brooklynn is amazing mom to her baby.
“She always puts Evie first, and I have never seen a girl mature so fast in a position and fill it so well,” she said.
Kingman said: “When I think of Brooklynn as a mom the first word that comes to my head is selfless. It’s this little girl’s needs before anything else in the whole world.”
Bish and Kingman help by watching Evie when Brooklynn needs to be away. Bish said: “I will watch her while she’s at class, and then we all take shifts every now and then when she needs it. We are all willing to help.”
Kingman and Bish said they are proud of Brooklynn because of how strong and resilient she is.
Bish said, “If she has already dealt with this, which is a huge milestone for anyone, then she is going to crush the rest of her life.”
Brooklynn said she wants Everleigh to learn from her juggling motherhood and college.
“I want her to learn that anything you put your mind to is possible and to never doubt. People who are always in the background saying you can’t do something…you can always find a way if it’s truly in your heart,” she said.
Brooklynn said she wants her daughter to feel loved. “I also hope she knows how loved she is because even though it was an interesting situation, I am so glad that everything happened the way it did, and I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and God always has a plan,” she said.
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