Mo Isom
Nov 6th, 2011 | By WORDS BY jeanne lyons PHOTOS BY zach breaux | Category: Current Issue, My Mix Tape, Q&AChild actress, motivational speaker, youth mentor, soccer goalie, potential football kicker, devoted Christian and full-time student, Mary “Mo” Isom’s impressive resume proves that – contrary to her near-perfect performance on the soccer field – she refuses to block her goals.
Isom’s accomplishments both on and off the field could make any University student feel like a non-contributing zero, but the Marietta, Ga. native remains humble, staying grounded in her faith, and her iPod.
Growing up in a household where music played constantly, Isom fell in love with Eric Clapton, James Taylor, Luther Vandross and Conway Twitty after her late father, a music fanatic, introduced her to these classics at a young age.
“I grew up listening to such a variety of music – country, blues, soul, worship, rock ‘n’ roll – it made it hard to pick a favorite genre,” Isom said.
Isom described her younger years’ musical palate as whatever was playing on the “popular-music bandwagon,” listening to hit tunes on the radio, as well as old favorites. But she has developed a sense of what she likes in college.
John Mayer, Kings of Leon, Jeremy Camp and Adele are just a few of the tunes buzzing from her ear phones, along with contemporary Christian worship music and country.
With Isom shuffling between soccer practice, classes, training as a football kicker and mentoring, her busy schedule limits her attendance at live shows. But Isom heard MUTEMATH, a New Orleans alternative rock band, two years ago at the House of Blues in the Big Easy, and she was amazed by the performance.
“It was the most fantastic concert I’ve ever been to,” Isom said. “It was insane, especially with the instruments they used that I’ve never seen made it such a good show.”
Despite a hodgepodge of musical tastes, the LSU soccer team’s goalie has an atypical musical “go-to” before games: Christian rap.
“People don’t give [Christian rap] enough credit because I think they have preconceived thoughts about what it’s going to sound like, but after hearing it, you’d think you were listening to gangster rap,” Isom said.
Christian rap artists, like Lacre, Tripoli and Flame, give the SEC Academic Honor Roll athlete the beat and the rhythm of rap that she loves, just without the cursing and negative messages.
After a series of lamentable occurrences tried to sidetrack the achieving athlete – health issues, the loss of her father and a near-fatal car accident – Isom strives ahead toward her goals, deflecting her woes and embracing her future.
“In my athletics, I really try to keep the perspective that the fact that I’m playing to glorify God,” Isom said. “That’s the reason I’m healthy and able to play.”
CURRENT PLAYLIST
01 Sean McConnell, “Somewhere Beautiful”
02 Gungor, “Beautiful Things”
03 David Crowder Band, “How He Loves”
04 Jeremy Camp
05 Adele, “Someone Like You”
06 John Mayer
07 Kings of Leon
08 The Band Perry
09 Zac Brown Band
10 Blake Shelton
11 Miranda Lambert
12 Tim McGraw
PREGAME MIX
01 LeCrae
02 Trip Lee
03 Tedashii
04 Kanye West ft. Young Jeezy, “Amazing”
Just wanted to thank you all for such a well-written article on my younger daughter, Morlan (Mo) Isom. Your kind words are greatly appreciated and I was warmed by your inclusion of her faith. I am surprised she didn’t mention her father’s extreme musical tastes as well that went from whale sounds set to music by classical instruments, to percussion and wind instruments played by Amercian Indians in natural settings in and around the Grand Canyon, and a love for pre-country mountain Hillbilly music with hand-made instruments (way before “Country was cool!”)
I’ve known Morlan all of her life and she is an example of “a go getter”, motivated by her faith and self-discipline. It’s wonderful to read about all of her successes in college and know she is only beginning to make an impact. How refreshing to see a student who has overcome so much and not given up or made horrible choices following tragedy. She is a role model – even for those of us older than she is!