NATCHITOCHES—Soccer is just one of many passions for Northwestern State senior forward Iesha Rollins.

From an early age, the native of Derby, England, found a love for motor biking—one that started with her late grandfather, whom she lost three years ago after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

"Growing up, he was a big part of my life in motor bike racing," she said. "He was the one who got the whole family involved in it. He rode bikes his whole life and probably had a hundred different bikes throughout his entire life.

"He was into racing and we'd go and watch the racing as a family. And then my mom got a bike, my brother got a bike and I want a bike. When I was younger, we'd go watch the races and go camp out for the weekend and it was a big fun thing we always got to look forward to, and he was at the forefront of that."

She was and is close to her whole family, and the bond strengthened even more as her uncle now battles the same disease that took her grandfather's life.

Rollins is playing for more than herself Sunday, as she and the rest of NSU (7-8. 4-3) takes to the field for the annual Fork Cancer game against Nicholls (5-4-6, 3-1-3) at the Demon Soccer Complex for a 1 p.m. kick.

When she was younger, Rollins used to ride on the back of his bike with her grandfather and built childhood memories that will last a lifetime. She loved it so much that she is determined to buy one herself.

She also drew inspiration from her grandfather, as he never quit doing what he loved, even after his cancer diagnosis.

Even in his weakened condition toward the end of her grandfather's life, he still did what he loved to do—ride his bike.

"He rode bikes throughout his life up until the last couple weeks before he passed," Rollins said. "He was still riding when he was weak and unfortunately, he ended up crashing and falling 20 feet off the side of a hill and ended up getting paralyzed from the shoulders down and spent the last few weeks in the hospital and ended up passing due to a combination of things, but the main thing was the cancer."

That strong and 'never give up' attitude has stayed with Rollins, as her five goals are tied for fourth on the team, and she collected her third hat trick in her last two years on Senior Night in the record-breaking 24-1 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

She has also scored against UL Lafayette and had a crucial goal to tie the game up in the late first half in the comeback win over East Texas A&M.

The attitude runs in the family, as evidenced by her uncle announcing he also has been living with pancreatic cancer for 10 years, and lives every day to the fullest.

"This past year, he has had 10 rounds of chemo, but he is still going strong," Rollins said. "I can't believe my uncle has been dealing with it for that long and still going strong. That's how that family is. We have a giant family group chat and it's constantly going 24/7. The love in that family flows through everyone. My dad's side of the family are some of the strongest people I've known.

"The group chat wakes me up in the middle of the night because of the time difference," Rollins said with a laugh.

Her uncle lives every day to the fullest and she is excited to see her family when she is able to fly home for Christmas.

This Sunday, Rollins is planning on drawing inspiration from one of her teammates—Kendall Hemperley—when she prepares for the game.

Hemperley's mom has battled breast cancer, and every October, she writes 'Mom" in big pink letters on her leg during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

"For this Fork Cancer game, I might get some of Kendall's pink stuff and write something like she does."

That is just one way Rollins is showing appreciation to a pair of family members who mean quite a bit to her, as she has drawn strength through their battles with a cancer that claims more than 50,000 lives a year.

That strength will be on display once again, as the senior steps onto the field Sunday in a big game with her grandfather's memory and uncle on her mind.