The “United” in Kolping United Soccer Club has taken on new meaning since the death of 17-year-old Kelsie Crow.

Kelsie, an avid soccer player and member of Kolping United Soccer Club’s Under-17 team, died after she was shot Saturday. The shooting occurred near the Melrose Family YMCA in Walnut Hills after police reportedly broke up a “Sweet 16” birthday party.

The Kolping United U17’s first games since her death are scheduled for this weekend at Joyce Park in Hamilton, Ohio. The team plans to play the games, part of the Mid-American Soccer Classic (MASC), in honor of Kelsie, according to teammates.

“We are ‘United,’ and we shall live forever honoring Kelsie Crow’s very words: One team. One squad. One bond. One sisterhood. One family,” said Tracy Bushman, the mother of a Kolping United player, in an email to The Enquirer. “There are no words, there are no actions, there isn’t anything to eradicate the pain we feel.

“Our hearts are broken and very heavy. We now must rely on our memories for some sort of comfort.”

Kelsie’s cousin and Kolping United teammate Natallie Segrist-Bellamah, 17, said the team will make T-shirts and headbands to be worn during this weekend’s games to honor Crow.

Honoring the person and the player

Kelsie loved her teammates, and that love appeared to be spiked with an acute sense of pride. On the field, Kelsie didn’t let opponents push her teammates around.

“Her attitude was always positive, whenever I got knocked down, she would look at me like, ‘You good? I got you,'” Segrist-Bellamah told The Enquirer Monday. “Then Kelsie would go handle it on the field.”

A member of Purcell Marian High School’s varsity team in addition to playing club soccer, Kelsie liked the ball at her feet.

To gain and keep possession of the ball, Kelsie would employ her signature move – a box-out, Segrist-Bellamah said (“She got away with it all the time, but sometimes the refs would call her on it.”).

Kelsie also played as a goalkeeper – a tenacious one, Segrist-Bellamah said.

“As a goalie, Kels has no fear. She would dive for the ball and almost never let anything past her,” Segrist-Bellamah said via text message Tuesday. “She was a great leader and always knew how to lift our spirits even if were at (our) worst.”

The Kolping Soccer Club will hold a meeting on Wednesday at the Kolping clubhouse at 6:30 p.m. for any of those affected by the tragedy.

A visitation will be held at Purcell Marian High School on Monday, April 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A funeral service will directly follow the visitation.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Kelsie’s memory to Crime Stoppers and the Purcell Marian Lady Cavs Soccer team.

Kolping United’s U-17’s tentative weekend tournament schedule

Saturday, April 13

Kolping United versus Thunder United White, 8 a.m.

Waterloo United versus Kolping United, 1:20 p.m.

Sunday, April 12

Kolping Havoc versus Kolping United, 12:10 p.m.

Final, 3:50 p.m.