The fire within: A walk-on keeper became a champion, then a hero

In spring 2018, Boise State soccer goalkeeper Tara Fisher (BS, health sciences, 2019) was finally getting her shot. A walk-on from Eagle River, Alaska, Fisher had spent three seasons as a backup. Now, entering the spring before her senior year, she was preparing to step into the starting role.

During warmups before an exhibition match against Washington State, then-assistant coach Max Weber was tasked with getting her ready. He lined up outside the penalty box and began firing shots. After two balls, Fisher told Weber to kick harder.

"I told myself I'm going to let one rip," Weber recalled. He ended up tearing his hamstring and hip flexor and couldn't walk for three weeks.

"It was a low moment for me professionally, but it tells you who Tara is," Weber said. "She wanted me to make it harder for her. She had spent three years preparing to be in the starting position ahead of her senior season. That game was her basically taking the starting job."

Preparation pays off

After spending three seasons behind standout goalkeeper Janelle Flores, Fisher delivered one of the best individual seasons in program history. In 2018, she won 13 games, helped lead the Broncos to a Mountain West regular-season title and recorded 10 shutouts. But there was nothing easy about her path to those celebrations.

Fisher arrived at Boise State as a walk-on. "Growing up in Alaska, you have no way to compare yourself skill-level-wise," Fisher said. "I had no clue if I was any good. It's like that big fish in a little pond feeling."

Her transitions to Boise and Boise State were simultaneously "humbling and validating," she said. "I felt like I belonged, but I knew I had to make significant improvements and fast."

She played sparingly during her first three seasons. "Those seasons were hard, but you learn a lot about putting the team first," Fisher said. "That's probably the biggest lesson I've learned. It's not always about you."

Strength forged at Boise State

After college, Fisher faced a challenge. "If you talk to any athlete, that period when your sport ends is probably the lowest point in their life," she said.

She found a new direction through friends at a CrossFit gym who were wildland firefighters. She joined a U.S. Forest Service crew and fought fires for multiple seasons. Looking for more stability and a regular schedule, she joined the Caldwell Fire Department in Caldwell, Idaho. Recently, she became a full-time engineer, driving the fire engine, making sure equipment works properly during emergencies and responding to calls.

The profession demands physical and mental toughness, teamwork and the ability to perform under pressure, all qualities Fisher said she forged at Boise State.

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