What was your jersey number with Hartford United?
#16
Where are you currently playing and what position(s) are you playing?
I am playing at UW Oshkosh and I play outside forward and sometimes outside back.
Do you have a goal to play professional soccer after college?
Mostly likely not, soccer has been my hobby for as long as I can remember but I will probably stop playing after college or play on teams for fun.
Do you plan to coach once your playing career is over?
I have never really thought if I would coach or not, I would definitely not mind doing it as I have learned so much about the game from my playing experience over the years and from the coaches that I have had.
Were you excited or nervous to join HUSC?
I was young when I joined HUSC but I was excited. I loved playing soccer and if was able to play the sport, I was happy wherever I was. I began to learn to love not only soccer at HUSC but also the club. It brought me many long lasting friendships I still have today and also the opportunity to be coached by some excellent coaches.
Any memories of the transition to HUSC that you can share for new players joining us?
HUSC is very easy to transition to and once you start playing you will feel right at home! I don’t have any specific memories of my transition but I do remember feeling welcomed and being excited to be playing soccer!
If you could meet up with one HUSC coach for breakfast who would it be and why?
Coach Jim Dietlmeier because he was the last coach I had at Hartford United Soccer Club. He helped make my last season with the club one to remember. It was not only fun but we were very successful on the field.
If you had to do it all over again, is there anything that you would do different?
I don’t think there is anything I would do differently. All of my experiences with the club helped make me the player I am today and there isn’t anything I regret. This club was such a big part of my life as I grew up and all the good and bad that happened were part of the process!
What was most important to you in your development as a player with Hartford United SC?
The most important thing to me was that I had good coaches and good relationships with my coaches. Every coach I had at HUSC were not only good people but great coaches who knew their stuff about soccer. I always learned new things from each and every one of them and that knowledge is still with me today. Not only was having good coaches important to my development but so was who I played with. The players I was a part of a team with also helped me learn more about the game. I had good friendships but I was also challenged by my teammates to be better and do better. They helped push me to be the player I wanted to be.
What is your proudest accomplishment with Hartford United SC?
One of my proudest accomplishments with HUSC would be winning the Kick Some Grass Tournament last year, my senior year. It was the last time us seniors were going to be able to compete in that tournament and all we wanted was to win that tournament for the last time we could. When we accomplished that goal, we all were so happy and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to leave the club. Although my team accomplished so much, that day will always stick out to me and be remembered. We all, even the girls who weren’t seniors, gave it our all and played our hearts out to get the where we wanted to be. We worked together as a team to reach our goal.
What advice would you give current players as they set goals in hopes of playing at the college level?
I would say never give up. It may seem like it isn’t possible or that you aren’t good enough but as long as you never stop trying, you always have a shot. Through my journey of searching for the right college I was recruited by many and rejected as well. Although it hurt to hear that a college wasn’t for me, it just meant that that’s not where I belonged. If you truly want to play college, I would say to give it everything you have. Go to as many college camps as you can, introduce yourself, and start researching schools that have the education you are looking for and the soccer program you can see yourself fitting in with. The journey is long and intimidating but the reward is worth it.
