She didn’t realize it at the time, but she made the ultimate home for proper social distancing to weather the storm of a global pandemic.

Now she is camping her way through a cross-country road trip with former UCF women’s soccer/current UCLA women’s soccer coach Amanda Cromwell as they slowly travel back home from Florida to Los Angeles.

This is their story.

Fish: I initially drove out to the East Coast from California in early February because I had this idea — I wanted to tell the stories about all the women coaches who have inspired me. It was going to be called “She in Me.” Most of them live on łŮłó±đĚýEast Coast. But then all this happened.

Cromwell: I was in Bradenton, Florida, for my [coaching certification] A-license course and planned on staying longer because my mom was in Sarasota.ĚýFish was in Jacksonville, so I told her to come over.ĚýThen coronavirus happened and everything hit the fan.

Fish: I had planned to drive back to California in June, so I figured, “Alright, I might as well go now when I don’t have a job.” There’s no work coming in right now with everything canceled.

Life just said, “You’re going to go across the country now — and take your time.”

Cromwell: I was going to fly back because I needed to take care of my dog, but my friend called needing a place to live. Now I had someone to take care of Bailey, and there really was no rush in getting back.

Fish: It’s crazy how all of it worked out.ĚýLife just said, “You’re going to go across the country now — and take your time.”

They left Sarasota on March 18 and stopped in Jacksonville to pick up Fish’s bike and łŮłó±đĚýsurfboards she had left behind.Ěý°Őłó±đ˛âĚýcontinued to Lake Lanier in GeorgiaĚý˛ą˛Ô»ĺĚýthen stopped at family properties in Asheville, North Carolina; Deep Creek Lake, Maryland; NashvilleĚý˛ą˛Ô»ĺĚýParis, Tennessee. They shared their story while fishing on a boat on Kentucky Lake at sunset.Ěý

Fish: California is pretty locked down at the moment, so it’s not the best time to rush back, and we’re waiting for it to warm up a little bit in the west. There’s no insulation in the van, so warm weather is key.

The van hasĚý˛ąĚýfull-size bed. Underneath is storage. The middle of the van is the living room and kitchen. I have a two-burner stove and pantry. The cooler sits between the driver and passenger seats. On top of the van, I built a platform that kind of acts like a balcony to hang out on. We have a toilet, so it’s fully livable. We haven’t used the shower yet but if we needed to, it’s a 3-gallon pressure pump shower so we could do it that way. It’s comfort living. Before I had this, I stayed in a Subaru that I built out, so it was really tight in that.

Cromwell: She named the van Jade Cruz.

Fish: Yes, her name is Jade Cruz. The first trip I took it on was in Sedona, and I met two awesome guys who really just were the highlight of that trip, so I named it after them. I think being on the road, you don’t have your tight-knit community as much, but I love people and I love their stories.ĚýSo it spurs me to talk to people and be open to strangers and give them the space to be them and hear them. I just want to show people that someone cares and they are seen, and I want them to see for themselves how rad they are.

Like today, I met a nice woman at the grocery store.

Cromwell: She wanted to teach Megan how to bag groceries.

Fish: You just realize how impactful those little interactions are when you don’t have that many. You feed off of them. Which is particularly true right now.ĚýLife kind of paused, so we’re trying to make the most of it.ĚýIt’s been really nice to do that, and I think we’re all seeing that play out with how łŮłó±đĚýrest of the world is reacting with the isolation in finding ways to connect and be together.

They have continued their journey to Colorado and eventually will make their way through Utah and Nevada before reaching their destination.Ěý°ä°ů´Çłľ·É±đ±ô±ôĚýchecks in with her players and keeps up with her head coaching duties at UCLA through Zoom calls, virtual calendars and łŮłó±đĚýHousepartyĚý˛ą±č±č.Ěý°Őłó±đ˛â’r±đ filling the rest of their days by listening to audio books, exercising, fishing for dinner and playing a lot of soccer tennis,Ěý˛ąĚýgame Cromwell often uses with her student-athletes during training sessions to help hone their footwork by volleying a soccer ball over a net.ĚýCromwell would like for it to be known that she owns their on-going series, 8-2. Fish would like for it to be known that all the scores are close.Ěý

Cromwell: I’ve done a cross-country trip once before with [UCF alum, World Cup Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist] Michelle Akers. We drove from Orlando to Seattle right after the ’99 World Cup, I think.

Fish: I’ve only done it solo, so it’s a totally different experience doing it with somebody.ĚýWe make a good team.

Cromwell: I don’t have much camping experience other than going to Mexico with some friends from L.A.ĚýSo I know how to put up a tent and make a fire.ĚýAnd I know how to drive a boat and fish.

Fish: My family grew up on a lake. On the Fourth of July, my uncle would fish fry.ĚýSo I know how to clean it and skin it.

Cromwell: I don’t know how to do that, but I know how to grill.ĚýSo yeah, we do make a good team. While on this trip, one thing I’ve learned about Fish is she can do a lot of things. She has the survival mindset. She changed the oil in her car. I’ve never done that. I’ve never wanted to do that.

Fish: You’ve got to when you’re in a van. I YouTube everything. Learning guitar? YouTube. Changing oil? YouTube. Painting my car? YouTube.

I’ve done the road stuff for a while.ĚýI learn so much about myself.ĚýI’ve gotten testy one time on the trip. In the car.ĚýAnd usually I’m very self-sufficient or don’t want anybody’s help in that way.ĚýI could feel it building.

Cromwell: But I got her out of it.

Fish: She did.ĚýI just needed to call it out. I was like, “I’m frustrated.” I just need to get away from everyone.ĚýBut she made me laugh, we went on a run together and then it totally diffused. It showed me you don’t always have to do it on your own to get out of bad spaces.ĚýI’ve had an awesome friend to share this with. We talk about the weight of everything that’s going on. We laugh about random things together.ĚýThis has been a good learning experience in a lot of ways.

There’s a lot of stuff going down that nobody planned for or wanted or can control. We aren’t doing any of the things we’re used to.ĚýBut we’re just rolling with it, and I think that’s why we’re enjoying the experience.

Cromwell: There are challenging times, for sure, but I’m very grateful for this opportunity. If I was back in L.A., I’d be fine at home, but probably a little more worried than I am currently. Because right now I’m on a boat on a lake. It’s sunset. There’s no one out here but us. How is this real life right now? I’ve been able to see my family. I just had a Zoom call with my friends from high school. Normally that quality time only happens around the holidays. This definitely taught me to take your opportunity when you have it. If Megan wasn’t there and said, “Hey, I’m going to drive back,” I would have flown back that week and wouldn’t be having these experiences.

Fish: We listened to a talk that her friend, Cori Close, during the Power of Positive summit. She coaches UCLA women’s basketball. One of her big things was how events happen and what’s your response? And your response determines the outcome. I felt like that was so appropriate. It’s extremely relevant right now. There’s a lot of stuff going down that nobody planned for or wanted or can control. We aren’t doing any of the things we’re used to.ĚýBut we’re just rolling with it, and I think that’s why we’re enjoying the experience.

Marina’s “Everyday Champions” story about soccer player Megan Fish and the way she honors and remembers her late father was chosen as the top story in CoSIDA’s annual Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest.

“Ms. Marina’s depiction of the close bond and uplifting relationship between Ms. Fish and her father was uplifting and beautifully written,” said one national judge. “The way the story flowed and how it was artfully constructed left the reader with a pleasurable experience.”

Marina said the credit belongs to Fish,Ěý˛ąĚýjunior from Summerville, S.C.,  for opening up about her relationship with her father.

“The overwhelming response we received when it was published – and continue to receive – is unlike anything else I have experienced,” Marina said. “I think this honor belongs more so to Fish for her willingness to share her story and her spirit. I am very lucky to have the opportunity work with her and other Everyday Champions like her on a daily basis.

To see the story: http://www.ucfknights.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/082013aab.html.

Marina also teamed up with UCF multimedia reporter Chip Fontanazza to bring home a second award from the CoSIDA writing contest. Their entry was selected as tops in the “Story With Video” category. They combined to profile the Labbadia family in the lead-up to UCF’s Coach To Cure MD game this past fall.

 To see the story: http://ucfknights.com/news/2013/9/26/Coach_To_Cure_MD_Hits_Home_for_UCF_Family.aspx.

“The Labbadias are the most gracious and wonderful people,” Marina said. “They remind us all how sports can have an impact off the field. Hopefully, as awareness for Duchenne muscular dystrophy grows, with those like Brendan and his family championing the cause, one day we will be able to find a cure.”

Follow Your Dreams. A simple phrase that carries a world of meaning for UCF women’s soccer midfielder .

The message that her father wrote in the final birthday card he ever gave her is etched permanently in its imperfectly beautiful scrawl on her forearm.

She sees the tattoo every morning right around the same time she reaches to turn off her alarm, reading her cell phone screen that says “Give it your all, make him proud.”

“It’s a reminder that he fought every day for 12 years of his life so he could hold on to be with me and my mom and give me all these opportunities,” Fish said.

Carmen Fish built a career at an accounting firm. He sang along to Hilary Duff and Avril Lavigne while driving his daughter and her friends to soccer games on the weekends. He always found ways to make small moments seem larger than life.

He also battled cancer for more than a decade.

“I never thought of it as he was sick,” Fish said. “It was just a characteristic, like being bald. He had cancer. It never stopped him from anything. He’d go to chemo and then go straight to work.”

Following his daughter’s 13th birthday, Carmen underwent surgery to remove a tumor on the side of his face. The doctors said the procedure was successful and Carmen could begin his recovery. But months later, they found that cancer returned in his neck, and this time, he was too weak to undergo another surgery.

Fish can remember her final day with her father while he was still responsive, before he left the hospital to be made more comfortable at home under hospice care.

“I remember walking into the hospital that day and thinking, `How am I supposed to be strong? My dad is dying and I have to be the one that says it’s OK,'” Fish said.

The 13-year-old looked into his eyes and began to cry. It may not have been the moment of strength she was hoping for, but perhaps it provided what they needed for a sense of normalcy. Carmen lifted his hand up to wipe his daughter’s tears — unable to speak but still able to play the role of her father, the caretaker.

Fish told her father she loved him, walked out of the room and headed to the elevator. Listening to a gut feeling that this might truly be the end, she retreated, walked back to the room and told her father one last time that she loved him.

“That was the last time I ever heard it from him,” Fish said.

The next few days seemed like weeks. Carmen rested while Fish’s mother tried to keep her daughter busy. On the final night of his life, Fish laid next to her comatose father and spoke to him.

“I told him, `You know dad, everyone has said goodbye. You can go. You don’t have to hold on for us anymore. We can do it. You don’t need to suffer,'” Fish recalled. “The next morning, he was gone.

“People always have really hard things throughout their life. Mine just happened early,” Fish continued. “It could have taken everything away from me. I could have said, `I hate life. I’m angry.’ I could have gone the complete wrong direction, but that would have been a complete waste of life – mine and his.”

Aided by the support of her family and friends, Fish found solace in the one thing she was always able to depend on – soccer. She won two state championships in high school and was named the MVP her senior year.

After years of living in a small South Carolina town nestled among pine trees, she came to UCF for a fresh start. The decision has tested her in ways she couldn’t have predicted.

In October 2011, Fish tore the anterior cruciate ligament of her left knee during practice. It required surgery and ended her freshman season.

She said the injury allowed her to gain a new appreciation for the sport. Having appeared in just two games, she was able to receive a redshirt and retain her year of eligibility. She learned about overcoming adversity and grew an insatiable drive to come back stronger in 2012.

She played in 16 matches, started one, and assisted on the game-winning goal against No. 12 Miami. Then, during a practice in late October, she felt the knee give again. Another torn ACL. Another projected six months of recovery.

That same weekend, she ran in the Susan G. Komen “Race for the Cure” 5K on UCF’s campus. After seeing thousands support breast cancer awareness and listening to an inspirational speaker afflicted with the disease, Fish was once again determined to beat the odds.

“It brought me back to everything with my dad. These are the moments that make us. Compared to what these women were going through, my knee was not that bad,” Fish said. “I have that young, invincible outlook on life. Every struggle just creates a bigger opportunity.”

Now, after a summer’s worth of two-and-sometimes-three-a-day sessions, the redshirt sophomore is ready to play to her potential. She has aspirations of earning a role in the starting lineup. She wants to help the team finally reach the College Cup.

“Even though she hasn’t been able to play that much because of her injuries, she is someone that people see as a leader on the team,” All-America defender said. “I’m glad she’s back and I’m excited to see her play.”

Over the next few years in a Black and Gold uniform, Fish plans to put on enough of a show to warrant a spot on a professional team and one day, the national team.

She knows that there are countless girls and women everywhere in the country who want the chance to wear the Red, White and Blue jersey. She knows the road is going to be hard. But if there is one thing she has learned from her father it’s this: only you can determine how far you go.

“I promise you, I will be on the (national) team,” Fish said. “I see what it takes. It’s not just skill. It’s the heart and the courage and the perseverance and the mentality. I feel like if you play in Division I and are on a team of those top-20 (nationally ranked) schools, you can do it. That’s my dream.”

The senior forward leapt into the arms of her teammates after netting the game-winner and was still a ball of energy after the team’s post-game meeting when she barreled toward head coach Amanda Cromwell for one more hug before heading into the locker room.

“That was probably top two (goal celebration),” Radovcic said. “This is huge for us. It was a great atmosphere. The rain and everything, you can’t get much better than that.”

The weather was fairly cooperative until the second half when UCF got a preview of Tropical Storm Isaac . The rain hung around on-and-off as the teams ended regulation scoreless.

Just before the 10th minute of play, UCF goalkeeper Lianne Maldonado dived to her right to snatch Miami’s Jasmine Paterson’s shot on goal.

The Knights tried to make something happen in the 30th minute when freshman Taylor Townsend passed the ball to Radovcic, who played it right back to Townsend but Miami keeper Emily Lillard scooped up the ball before Townsend could meet it.

UCF was much more aggressive on the attack in the second half. Reserve Kristina Trujic nearly put the Knights on the board in the 60th minute when her shot was deflected over the crossbar. Later, Trujic sent a cross from the right corner of the field to senior Bianca Joswiak, but Joswiak’s attempt sailed over the net.

Megan Fish had another great look in the 84th minute just outside the top-center of the box, but her attempt went wide right and the game headed into overtime.

It only took five minutes for Fish to play a ball into Radovcic, who juked behind the defense to send a shot into the far corner of the net for her second goal of the year.

UCF continues its four-game homestand next weekend when it hosts Dartmouth, USF and Georgia in the UCF Tournament. The Knights play Dartmouth on Friday at 7:30 p.m. following the USF-Georgia game set for 5 p.m.