Anyone who has seen Katie Lorden in action knows how seriously she takes her soccer.

But the Milford High senior goalkeeper has one eye on the ball and the other on her long-term aspirations as a nursing student in college.

We had Lorden take a few minutes from the hustle and bustle of summer to talk about her life in the classroom, on the pitch, traveling this summer and where her heart lies as her final season at Milford approaches in September.

It seems like children in Milford have plenty of community spirit. Have you pitched in?

“I have taken part in volunteer activities through Saint Patrick’s Church. I have also volunteered transporting boxes merchandise for a local business in Milford during their relocation process.”

What’s your favorite class in school and why?

“Science is one of my favorite subjects because I have always been fascinated by every aspect of the topic.

“I’ve wanted to go into nursing for as long as I could remember and intend on pursuing that as my major in college.

“Each science course at school, from biology, to chemistry, to anatomy and physiology, all three have their own material and challenges that I can’t wait to face each year.”

Summer offers plenty of opportunity for fun. What are you up to?

“This summer has been very fun and busy for me and my family. We started off the summer going to my mom’s hometown in New York to visit family and old friends. Also, my family and I just recently got back from Turks and Caicos, which was an absolute blast. We went snorkeling, jet skiing and boating. Next, I will be leaving for Lake Tahoe, Calif., with my best friend and her family for a week. We go annually every July and have a blast. We go paddle boarding, surfing, boating, tubing, biking, hiking, and so much more. In addition, while I’m home I’m either with my friends, working, or working out either at the gym or with my soccer team, preparing for the season.”

What are you doing this summer to prepare for senior year in school?

“I make it a priority to keep my body in the best physical shape as possible year round. When I’m not playing soccer I am at the gym at least five days a week. I go to Orangetheory Fitness in Nashua, which in my opinion, is the best gym on the planet. For soccer I switch from training with my club team (FC Stars) to getting some girls together to go for a run, get touches on the ball, or other fitness activities for the fall.”

What are you doing this summer to prepare yourself athletically?

“More specifically for this season. I intend on working more in-depth on my endurance and core strength. I believe that these are by far the two most important goals for me personally to be as successful as possible. If I can keep up my hard work I can not only better myself, but the team as well.”

If you are working, what are you doing this summer?

“I work at Hayward’s Ice Cream in Milford. It is the best job in the whole world and I couldn’t be happier with where I am.”

Any thoughts on college yet?

“Ihave taken multiple college tours to UNH, UMass Lowell, and UMass Boston. I am soon visiting Northeastern, Stony Brook, Endicott, and many more. I’m excited to keep looking to see what schools offer the best nursing programs and give me the most out of the next four-plus years.”

Are you looking to play sports in college, which one, and where?

“For athletics, I am not as concerned with playing soccer in college as I am with nursing. However I am not opposed to the opportunity. If I choose to not take part in the recruiting process, I may invest time in becoming a walk-on to my school of choice’s team.”

Do you have a dream school?

“I’ve never had a ‘dream school’ in mind. I like to keep an open mind. If I had a dream school locked in my mind, I don’t want to be let down in the future if it’s not everything I had hoped for. I like to go with the flow and look at everything and get a taste of every campus possible until I find the perfect one for me, regardless of how well known it is.”

In one year from now, where do you expect to be in your life?

“I hope to have all the details for college planned and mapped out. I want to be prepared and ready for the next four years without having to feel stressed or rushed from being unprepared.”

What are your athletic goals for senior year?

“Every year my goals change based on what I have been able to accomplish in the previous years. I keep track of what I have mastered and what I still need to work on. Regardless of whether or not I need to focus more on my angles as a goalie, or breakaways. I embrace my insecurities and face them head on rather than hide from them. I want to be the best I can be for me and my team. Another goal that will always be in the back of my mind no matter what is the championship, that is why I take preparation seriously.

“I disagree when people say that championships are won with just focus and work during the season. I believe championships are won in the offseason too. That is why I constantly push myself physically and mentally to be active and eat right. In the end I know it pays off because I’ve seen in happen in 2012 with our latest championship for soccer.”

Tell us one thing that many people don’t know about you or something you’ve accomplished that people would be interested in knowing?

“Last fall I lost someone extremely important to me and some of my teammates on our school soccer team. My soccer coach for my club team, Pete Miller, passed away after a heart attack. He had coached me and multiple other girls that play for both Stars and Milford’s soccer team. It crushed us and I had a very hard time for what seemed like forever, I wasn’t myself and I was stuck in this funk. As time went on I began to realize how I couldn’t drown myself in sorrow and grief, but rather celebrate his life and his impact on me as a player and a person.

“I remember the first game after Pete died, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to make it through, but by the end of the I had played one of my best games ever. I was able to rise above the grief and accept that even though I no longer will hear him on the sidelines both cheering us on and being goofy, he will always watch over me and make me stronger than ever before.

“I have accomplished a stronger sense of character within myself that can use these kinds of things as fuel to motivate and push me to make the people in my life proud. Pete is someone that will be forever in my mind and heart, there to help push me through anything in life I may face, and knowing him has been a true privilege.”